via Gearing up for brutal repression | The Zimbabwean. 15 June 2014
The Pope says Zimbabweans have reached the human limit of economic suffering. Mugabe’s response is to recruit 11,000 more prison officers!
“The prison service plans to recruit 11,000 new officers, adding to the government’s bloated 230,000-strong workforce which it is already struggling to pay,” reported one website recently. This is to be expected. The regime knows all too well that the economic meltdown is making the people desperate and restless. But instead of doing something to end the economic nightmare the regime is gearing itself to step up for brutal repression.
The Zimbabwe economy shrunk by a world record 84% in the six year period 2002 to 2008, sending unemployment to the nauseating height of 85% plus and forcing millions of people into abject poverty. There was some semblance of economic normality during the GNU; the Z$ was scrapped ending the 500 billion inflation rate and shops filled with goods (imported mostly as local companies never came back). Unemployment remained stubbornly high.
The GNU was totally dysfunctional and that is why it failed to achieve much. The nation pinned its hopes on the elections to produce a competent and democratic government. Sadly that was not to be as Mugabe rigged the elections with the tacit concurrence of MDC who had failed to implement the necessary democratic reforms for free and fair elections.
After that Mugabe and his cronies assumed political power once again and it was clear they were intent on starting off from where they left at the beginning of the GNU; all hopes of a return to rule of law and economic recovery were dashed!
Donors and foreign investors took fright and have kept their distance, depriving the country of the foreign cash injection needed to kick start the economy. Even the few companies who had managed to hold on throughout the GNU hoping for better times have given up in despair.
Zimbabwe has become a nation of vendors. The number of people who can eke out a living in the informal sector, kiya kiya, is dependent on those in formal employment, their customers. Kiya kiya people do not sell to fellow vendors! And worse still they do not pay business rates or tax – which is why government and local authority have no money to maintain basic services.
Mugabe has failed to raise a single dollar for his $27 billion ZimAsset economic recovery programme; not even his traditional allies the Chinese would contribute a single Yuan. The only way out is for Mugabe to admit he has failed to govern and give up power; sadly that is the one thing he will never do. – WILBERT MUKORI
COMMENTS
If we had responsible journalists, youths and opposition parties we wouldn’t need more prison officers. Stop crime and we need less officers its as simple as that.
85% unemployment!! No jobs no money! If I could not feed my family I would also steel/rob whatever it takes. Reverse suicidal government policies and jobs would be created. Crime would decrease considerably – it’s that simple.
The economic meltdown is causing serious suffering and hardships and the regime is responding by increasing oppression – the opposition parties, etc have nothing to do with it!
CORRECTION
If we had a responsible Government, and Ruling party we wouldn’t need more prison officers. Stop crime and we need less officers its as simple as that.
This raises the age old question “Who will guard the guardians?”
Hark! Listen, somewhere, faintly through the ether, do I hear the sound of Ian Smith laughing?
HMMM, 11,000 more prison officers? More ghost workers??
If it was to put 11 000 officers in prison we might consider this a good start.
And still, the Zimbo does nothing.
Waiting for divine intervention, maybe?
It is a great pity that so many Zimbabweans are using religion as an excuse for their failure to do their principle duty of holding those in power to account!
William Mukori is an armchair critic just like Vince Museve. Come back to mother earth William and join in the real struggle together with others. Be on the streets with others fighting the real system that has brought Zimbabwe to be not Zimbabwe enough. This idea of roaring like a lion from 9 000 km in the comfort of europe is just not helpful. Instead remember that Ceasar would not have been wolf if Romans were not but sheep that vote with their feet.
The nation has had the advantage of leaders like Tsvangirai and Biti to say nothing of the tyrant Mugabe whom you would not say are “armchair critics” but to what end? The later has created the monster Zanu PF dictatorships that, like a swarm of locusts, has destroyed everything. The MDC leaders were so easily corrupted Mugabe laid a honey trap and caught the lot! They are without doubt some of the most incompetent leaders in history.
I notice that neither Mugabe’s murderous bend nor Tsvangirai’s breath-taking incompetence stopped people like you, who want action, action even if the wrong thing as long as it is action, given them you 100% support.
What this country needs is well thought out plan supported by an electorate that has its thinking cap on and not one willing to follow like sheep.
Such arrogance will not get you far Mukori. Answer the questions asked and respect the person asking. Simple.
So pathetic for the young socially wretched Zimbabweans,who for survival means would now be forced to be hired as lid handlers of an evil cauldron,used for roasting Zimbabweans into submission.
The gvnt only needs to change both domestic and foreign policy for the economy to ascend . Some old madhalas shud b given their packages and rest wth their nieces at home instead of kping dem in offices . Morgan is not a dictator , he has nvr bn in ful power .
Hey Wilbert, there are no new prisons being built. Where will these new jail guards be deployed to? Maybe they will work as reservists like the guys in blue n grey at police road blocks. Those are police reservists and they do not have police IDs or force numbers. Ask them!!
They are creating the employment they promised! But will they manage to raise the salaries?
Food for thouhgt for those in power
kick start of their election manifesto kkkkk
Poor things.they re preparing for war with the masses.unfortunately these “prison guards” wil turn on them coz we all know the country is penniless .
If only we had brave peopple then
The 11 000 recruits are 2018 elections. Just like the Border Gezi. MDC T watch out
may a terrible fear fall on these oppressors. They are going to be judged by a holy and just God that cannot be bought with mere land and diamonds. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God