‘Zanu PF govt officials turn blind eye on worsening economic situation’

via ‘Zanu PF govt officials turn blind eye on worsening economic situation’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 10, 2015 by Moses Matenga

A RECENT survey by local pressure group, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC), has indicated that Zanu PF government officials have turned a blind eye on the worsening economic situation as they concentrated on their party’s unresolved succession question.

CiZC revealed this yesterday during the launch of its ZimGov barometer in Harare.

The survey analysed government’s performance between May 15 and July 15.

The launch also coincided with the unveiling of another report titled “Zimbabwe Country Report” by the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) that also made similar findings.

Thulani Mswelanto, CiZC research and policy officer, said government’s push for reforms had been very slow, adding the country was “virtually stagnated and on the verge of backsliding in its quest to achieve democracy and economic prosperity”.

“The economy will continue on a free-fall in the absence of a radical reform process that will seek to address the security of investors and investments and the crisis of legitimacy of the State against a tainted record on human rights violations,” Mswelanto said.

On elections, the barometer gave Zanu PF an average score but acknowledged the party’s failure to hold free and fair elections citing the Hurungwe West by-election as an example.

The ZDI report said implementation of amendments to the new Constitution had been too slow and was limited to less sensitive areas that did not disturb Zanu PF.

The two reportsdescribed the human rights situation in the country as stable but fragile, adding the entry of First Lady Grace Mugabe into Zanu PF politics had further divided the party.

“Virtually everything in Zanu PF and government is being interpreted in presidential succession terms,” ZDI said.
“Although the ruling party has always been trapped in an immense succession battle, allegedly between the (former Vice-President Joice) Mujuru and (incumbent Emmerson) Mnangagwa factions, the 2014 Zanu PF December congress brought totally different scenarios.

“This has mainly been necessitated by the entrance of Mugabe’s wife Grace into Zanu PF structures, her subsequent prominent role in the purges pre and post the 2014 December congress resulting in the firing from both party and government of senior Zanu PF officials such as the then Vice-President Joice Mujuru and the consolidation of Zanu PF party and State power by the First Family.”

“Zanu PF is allegedly divided into two antagonistic factions pitting on one hand Grace Mugabe in cohorts with the Young Turks and Mnangagwa.”