Zimbabweans regret Mugabe ouster amidst Mnangagwa’s ‘disastrous’ rule – Biti

HARARE – Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has delivered a scathing critique of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership, asserting that many Zimbabweans now regret the removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe.

In a recent interview with NewsDay journalist Everson Mushava, Biti described Mnangagwa’s seven-year tenure as an “absolute disaster,” claiming it has fostered widespread corruption and economic instability.

“He has made people regret the removal of (Robert) Mugabe,” Biti stated.

“If President Mugabe were to resurrect right now like Lazarus, millions of people would follow him in the streets and hail him. And that is a failure of Mnangagwa’s rule.”

Biti accused Mnangagwa of squandering an opportunity to unite the nation and establish a new political consensus soon after grabbing power from Mugabe in November 2017.

“Mnangagwa missed an opportunity of resetting Zimbabwe, of placing Zimbabwe on a new consensus of inclusion, of putting Zimbabwe first.

“He had that opportunity in 2017 of bringing everyone on board, the church, the trade unions and so forth.

“He missed the opportunity of being the president of every Zimbabwean.

“He missed the opportunity to renegotiate a new consensus in the international community, a new beginning, with the international community.

“He missed the opportunity of a new paradigm shift, charting a new trajectory for the country.”

Instead, Biti alleges that Mnangagwa has reinforced a system of “coercion, violence, repression, and abuse of the rule of law,” while also anchoring his rule “firmly on corruption and extraction.”

He specifically criticized the alleged influence of individuals like Wicknell Chivayo, Scott Sakupwanya, and Kudakwashe Tagwirei, claiming they have undue access to the State House.

“Those criminals have invaded the State House. They go there without appointment, openly and brazenly. And that is bringing the state into disrepute.

“That is bringing the republic into disrepute. That is bringing Zimbabwe into disrepute.

“The office of the president is the highest office in the land. The State House is the state palace,” Biti said.

Biti further drew a stark contrast between Mnangagwa and Mugabe, despite acknowledging Mugabe’s own flaws.

Biti identified corruption as Mnangagwa’s “greatest failure,” citing the Transparency International corruption index as evidence of deterioration.

He also criticised the Mutapa Fund and the privatisation of land titles as examples of alleged corruption and a reversal of land reform.

In response to Zanu-PF’s push to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028, Biti emphasized the constitutional requirement for a referendum. He dismissed claims that an extension could be achieved without a referendum as “absurd” and “impossible.”

Biti revealed that he is engaging with Zimbabweans across the political spectrum to form a platform to defend the constitution.

“At the moment, I am in conversation with Zimbabweans across all political divides about these attempts to mutilate the constitution.

“I have been in meetings where this issue has been discussed. So, I think it’s very important that we form a platform to defend the constitution.

“We had the National Constitutional Assembly before and now it’s gone, I think it’s important to find a room for constitutional defenders, so we need a forum to defend the constitution.

“So I hope Zimbabweans can come together to form this forum of platform in defense of the constitution and I hope all constitutional defenders can join hands to fight in this important battle,” he said.