‘Only new leadership, not Zim Asset can save the country’

via ‘Only new leadership, not Zim Asset can save the country’ December 18, 2013 by Everson Mushava NewsDay

ZIMBABWE requires leadership renewal and not Zanu PF’s, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), if it is to come out of its economic quagmire, an independent economic analyst said yesterday.

Addressing participants at a workshop organised by the Mass Public Opinion Institute (Mpoi) Vince Musewe said Zim Asset would suffer a stillbirth because the philosophy of Zanu PF leadership has not changed.

The workshop was held under the theme Zimbabwe’s Trajectory Beyond the 2013 Elections: Problems, Opportunities and Prospects.

“We have all the resources, but what we do not have is the leadership. The problems of the country will never be resolved by the people who created them,” Musewe said.

“Since independence, Zanu PF crafted over 30 economic blueprints, but none have been successfully implemented. I guarantee that this will be the same with Zim Asset because the leadership philosophy has not changed.”

Zanu PF deputy director for information Psychology Maziwisa who also addressed the workshop had earlier said the party was ready to deliver on its election promises and the country’s economy was set to improve through the implementation of Zim Asset.

“Zanu PF will deliver on its election promises because it is a party guided by values and principles,” Maziwisa said.

“Rome was not built in one day. Don’t expect everything to be achieved in three months. We have laid the groundwork and I am confident we will achieve our goals. If you look at the determination of President (Robert) Mugabe, it should inform you that the economy of this country will improve for the better in the next five years.”

But Musewe said the Zim Asset document was bound to fail because the party was refusing to accept responsibility for the economic mess the country was facing so that it could map the way forward.

“If you look at our economy, we have a real problem. Zim Asset starts by blaming sanctions for the economic meltdown. If you go around externalising everything, it means you disempower yourself. You imply you cannot do anything about the situation.”