Warm greetings to you, Sir.
It is with profound respect and a sense of patriotic duty that I write this open letter. Zimbabwe stands at a crossroads – politically, economically, and morally.
Your stewardship since 2017 has been both consequential and controversial, producing moments of promise and periods of deep concern.
In addressing you, I am guided by the conviction that leadership, particularly that of a Head of State, must always be subjected to honest reflection and constructive engagement.
Allow me to begin where credit is due. When you assumed office in November 2017, the national mood was one of cautious optimism. The country had just emerged from decades of political inertia and economic decay.
Many Zimbabweans, regardless of political persuasion, felt a renewed sense of hope. You channelled that hope into your early mantra: “Zimbabwe is open for business.” That message resonated deeply, both domestically and internationally.
It projected an image of renewal and pragmatism, suggesting a government ready to re-engage the world and attract investment.
Indeed, under your leadership, Zimbabwe made deliberate efforts to reconnect with multilateral institutions and Western capitals.
You re-established formal relations with the European Union, normalised dialogue with the United Kingdom, and sought to rejoin the Commonwealth after years of isolation.
Such diplomatic re-engagements were not symbolic gestures alone; they signalled Zimbabwe’s willingness to reclaim its place among the community of nations.
You also spearheaded infrastructural renewal, an often-overlooked achievement. The rehabilitation of major highways, particularly the Harare-Beitbridge Road, has transformed what was once a death trap into a modern transport artery that facilitates trade and tourism.
The expansion of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and the upgrading of the Beitbridge Border Post were significant moves towards aligning Zimbabwe’s infrastructure with regional and international standards.
These are tangible legacies that have improved connectivity and stimulated commerce.
Your administration also showed commitment to improving agricultural productivity. The Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, while not without challenges, revived smallholder farming across rural communities.
It reintroduced the discipline of conservation agriculture and ensured food security in many regions. By combining state support with traditional farming wisdom, the programme gave dignity to the small-scale farmer, whose survival is vital to our national stability.
Equally commendable has been your focus on industrial revival through domestic manufacturing. The modest resurgence of local industries in the food, packaging, and cement sectors demonstrates that import substitution is possible when guided by coherent industrial policy.
Your insistence on beneficiation in mining, particularly in the lithium sector, shows foresight. It positions Zimbabwe to capture value from its mineral wealth rather than remaining a supplier of raw materials.
Your government has also stabilised some aspects of the macroeconomic environment. The introduction of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, though imperfect in its infancy, represents an effort to restore monetary sovereignty.
The decision to back the currency with gold reserves was a bold attempt to rebuild confidence in national financial instruments.
The fight against corruption has produced some public gestures of accountability, and your calls for a culture of hard work and discipline have been consistent.
Furthermore, your administration’s relative tolerance for opposition rallies, media plurality, and freedom of worship – compared to past decades – has been noted.
The establishment of institutions like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), though still maturing, reflects an awareness of the need for institutional checks and balances.
In essence, Mr President, you did not inherit an easy legacy. The economic wounds of hyperinflation, land reform, and international isolation ran deep. Yet, you made initial steps that inspired belief in renewal. For that, you deserve acknowledgment.
However, Your Excellency, it would be disingenuous to dwell solely on the positives. The same administration that showed early signs of pragmatism has, over time, succumbed to the trappings of excessive centralisation, factionalism, and control.
Zimbabwe today suffers from widening inequality, deepening corruption, and a pervasive sense of political fatigue. Many citizens who once believed in your reformist message now feel disillusioned. The gap between promise and delivery has grown too wide.
The centralisation of political power around your person and the presidency has weakened institutional independence. The ruling party has merged almost seamlessly with the state, blurring the line between governance and partisanship.
While strong leadership is sometimes necessary in fragile contexts, the over-concentration of authority breeds inefficiency and fear.
It stifles honest dialogue within government and within ZANU PF itself. The party that once thrived on robust internal debate now seems dominated by conformity and survival instincts.
Corruption remains the single greatest threat to your legacy. While you have spoken frequently against it, the persistence of patronage networks – especially those linked to state tenders, fuel supply, and the mining sector – undermines the credibility of your anti-corruption drive.
The perception that certain individuals are “untouchable” has eroded public confidence. Citizens observe the lavish lifestyles of the politically connected while public hospitals lack medicine and civil servants live on subsistence wages.
Such optics are corrosive to trust and legitimacy.
Economically, while stabilisation measures have been introduced, ordinary citizens continue to bear the brunt of inflationary pressures and inconsistent policy shifts.
The rapid alternation between currencies and the lack of long-term monetary discipline have destroyed savings and investor confidence. A developmental state cannot thrive without predictable economic rules.
Your government’s habit of frequent policy reversals – sometimes announced overnight – creates uncertainty that discourages both local and foreign investors.
In governance, the culture of accountability remains weak. Institutions that should function as safeguards, such as parliament, the judiciary, and oversight commissions, often operate under perceived political pressure.
The independence of these bodies is essential to the functioning of democracy and to your own credibility as a statesman. True strength in leadership lies not in commanding silence, but in enabling institutions to speak truth to power without fear of reprisal.
Mr President, recent developments suggesting a possible extension of your term beyond 2028 have caused considerable unease. The resolution at the ZANU PF national conference proposing to extend your tenure to 2030 has polarised the nation.
While your supporters argue that you need more time to complete your vision, others see in it a dangerous attempt to subvert constitutional order.
History teaches that the erosion of constitutional limits often begins under the pretext of continuity. Yet, continuity that violates constitutionalism is self-defeating.
It risks undoing the very progress you have made in rebranding yourself as a reformist leader distinct from your predecessor.
To tinker with the Constitution for personal or partisan ends would cast a long shadow over your legacy. Future generations will not remember the roads or airports you built, but the precedent you set.
Zimbabwe’s Constitution is the covenant that binds citizen and state. It is not a convenience to be amended in pursuit of temporary advantage.
Extending your rule beyond the constitutional term limit would confirm the fears of those who accuse your administration of creeping authoritarianism.
It would alienate reform-minded citizens, provoke domestic resistance, and isolate Zimbabwe once again from the international community.
Your legacy, Mr President, would be infinitely stronger if you chose to be remembered as the man who respected the Constitution, rather than the one who bent it to his will.
Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, and Seretse Khama did not become immortal in the annals of African leadership because they clung to power. They became immortal because they knew when to let go.
I make recommendations below for what would bring renewal and anchor your legacy in greatness:
1. Reinvigorate the Fight Against Corruption
Empower independent bodies like ZACC and the Auditor General’s Office with prosecutorial authority. Allow them to operate free of political interference.
Publicly declare assets for all cabinet ministers and senior government officials. Such transparency would send a clear message that corruption is not a political weapon but a national cancer to be eradicated.
2. Restore Confidence in the Economy
Build consistency into economic policy. Peg the ZiG currency to verifiable reserves and publish regular audits. Reinforce the independence of the Reserve Bank and cease the culture of quasi-fiscal operations.
Above all, prioritise job creation through support for small and medium enterprises rather than over-reliance on extractive industries.
3. Strengthen Institutions, Not Personalities
Decentralise decision-making. Allow provincial and local governments real autonomy in managing development funds. Revive merit-based recruitment in the civil service and depoliticise public administration. Sustainable governance thrives on institutions that outlive individuals.
4. Reform ZANU PF Internally
A ruling party that fears internal dissent is one on the path to decay. Encourage open debate and generational renewal within ZANU PF. Groom leaders who can carry the torch of national unity without resorting to factionalism. The health of your party mirrors the health of the nation.
5. Invest in Human Development
Prioritise education and health above patronage projects. The reconstruction of hospitals and universities will outlast any monument. Zimbabwe’s greatest asset is its human capital. Investing in it ensures continuity of national prosperity long after your tenure.
6. Safeguard Constitutionalism
Publicly declare your commitment to serve your constitutionally mandated term and step down thereafter. Such a statement would re-energise public faith and disarm your critics. It would position you among the rare breed of African leaders who valued principle over power.
Your Excellency, leadership is ultimately about legacy. Power is transient, but legacy is eternal. You stand at the twilight of a long political journey that began in the liberation struggle and has spanned more than five decades.
Few Zimbabweans can claim to have contributed as much to the nation’s political evolution as you have. Yet, how you choose to end this chapter will determine how history remembers you.
If you consolidate power at the expense of democratic norms, your story will be written alongside those who overstayed and eroded the very nations they helped to liberate.
But if you use your remaining years to entrench constitutionalism, strengthen institutions, and prepare for peaceful succession, your name will shine among the great reformers of Africa.
You have the rare opportunity to redefine the meaning of leadership in Zimbabwe. Choose legacy over longevity. Choose the Constitution over expedience. Choose to be remembered as the father of modern Zimbabwe, not as another ruler who could not let go.
I write not as an adversary but as a citizen who loves his country deeply. The Zimbabwe we all desire is one where leadership listens, where power serves, and where the Constitution reigns supreme. You have within your grasp the chance to make that Zimbabwe a living reality.
History has not yet written its final verdict on you, Mr President. But when it does, may it say that Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa rose above the temptations of power and chose to build a nation greater than himself.
With the highest respect,
Sincerely,
Gabriel Manyati
