President Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF government has finally
admitted the regime fcuked up (excuse my French but there really is no other suitable
phrase) big time!
“In an extended mea culpa on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
government, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has written to the
international financial institutions (IFIs) in Washington saying it takes
'responsibility for the recent policy missteps during late 2019' which have led
to inflation currently running at an annual rate of over 500% year,” reported
Africa Confidential.
“In the letter, a copy of which has been seen by Africa
Confidential, the usually upbeat Ncube paints a relentlessly grim picture.
'Zimbabwe's economy could contract by 15-20% during 2020 – with very serious
social consequences. Already 8.5 million Zimbabweans (half the population) are
food insecure,' he writes.
'The global pandemic will take a
heavy toll on the health sector, with many lives being lost and raise poverty
to levels not seen in recent times, including worsening food security. A
domestic collapse also would have potentially adverse regional effects, where
spillovers are significant.’
Minister Ncube also admitted the country’s other major problem
of corrupt and lack of democratic accountability. The letter promised an 'ambitious anti-corruption strategy’ and to 'engaging in
National Dialogue’. But for the regime was begging for US$ 200 million
bailout to avert the pending implosion.
The letter was indeed “an extended mea culpa”; a confession of
one’s sinfulness “through my own fault” in the true Roman Catholic Church acts
of contrition. Except, of course, the regime was only going through the motion
of contrition without even the pretence of being sincere much less honouring
any of the promises.
Indeed, Minister Ncube might as well have added a p/s “All
the above confessions and promises were made under duress! The Zimbabwe government
has no intention of honouring any of the promises.”
The IMF, the WB and all the other major financial
institutions to whom the letter was address have all ignored Minister Ncube.
They have all heard the same promises and seen the begging bowl before. They
have all made a generous contribution only for the regime to renege on its
promises. They are not going to fall for the promised under duress excuse
again.
Besides, during these very, very difficult times when the whole
world is suffering the consequence of the corona virus pandemic there are many,
many other nations knocking at IMF’s door seeking help. Nations that had done
nothing wrong and will use the assistance wisely, these are certainly more
deserving of the bailout.
“(Strive) Masiyiwa said the World Bank, the IMF and other
multilateral institutions should create humanitarian trusts for Zimbabwe
and Sudan, both under United States sanctions, to
be managed by third parties to ensure a fair distribution of life-saving aid,”
continued the Africa Confidential report.
'For the avoidance of doubt; this is not an appeal for the
lifting of sanctions,' said Masiyiwa. 'I don't want to get into the issues
around how and why there are sanctions. Everyone knows I had to flee my country
because of persecution 20 years ago,' argued Masiyiwa.
Masiyiwa is right, the IMF will need a third party to
distribute the life-saving aid in Zimbabwe because stopping Zanu PF muscling in
and creaming off the aid is the biggest challenge they will have to face. It is
no secret that most of the covid-19 donations by UNDP, WHO and other donors, who
have no third parties to distribute the aid, has been commandeered to equip
Rock Foundation Hospital and other facilities for the exclusive use by the
chefs.
Of course, it is an outrage that any donor should have to
fight-off anyone, much less those who task it is to provide the aid, to provide
life-saving aid to the people.
Besides; even the simple minded amongst the Zimbabwean must
cringe with shame at the reality of 8.5 million Zimbabweans facing starvation
in a country that, until Mugabe seized the farms to give to his cronies mostly,
was the breadbasket of the region.
Every responsible donor and lender would want to know their aid
and money will not be wasted and will benefit the people it was intended. It
beggars belief why any Zimbabwean would want Zimbabwe’s notoriety as a corrupt
and wasteful nation swept under the carpet when they should be demanding the
regime must clean up or ship out.
No nation on earth can ever survive much less thrive under a
corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical rule. The corona virus outbreak has highlighted
Zimbabwe chronic problem of bad governance. What we need to cure ourselves of
this curse of pariah state; generous donations and bailouts will, at best,
postpone the day of reckoning but will never be the substitute for good
governance.
If Zanu PF does not step down and thus end the pariah state,
Zimbabwe will implode!
3 comments:
On 25 April, Mhondiwa was taken to GANDACHIBVUWA MISSION HOSPITAL for treatment by his wife & relatives.
Unfortunately, it is reported that health authorities at this Hospital claimed they did not have the capacity to treat malaria & also suspected that the patient could have been Covid-19 +ve.
It is reported that poor Mhondiwa was referred to MURAMBINDA HOSPITAL where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
It is further alleged that Murambinda Hospital did not take any samples for Covid-19 sampling since the hospital claimed that they did not have Covid-19 Testing Kits & relatives were ordered to take the deceased back home for burial.
It is further reported that a fully-fledged funeral was held at Huchu Village for the late Mhondiwa who was only buried two days later on Monday 27 April 2020 at the village cemetery in Buhera.
More frightening, three days after Mhondiwa’s burial, today the 30th of April 2020, MHONDIWA’s widow, (name & age not supplied) also passed on after complaining of chest pains & feeling dizzy.
This is a story that is going to be repeated again and again and again!
Every hospital and clinic across the land must have a team fully kitted to visit the sick in their homes and take samples for covid-19 testing. It is the team who must advise the patient to which hospital or clinic they must go and when.
All patients must be treated as covid-19 cases until they have been tested and confirmed otherwise. With such a contagious virus the last thing we want is for people to be running around like headless chickens!
The tragedy here is this corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime will never implement even this basic plan! We are in serious trouble!
The joint report, released by the European Union, FAO, OCHA, UNICEF, USAID and WFP anticipates a worsening food insecurity situation in 2020 with an estimated 4.3 million rural Zimbabweans, including children, are in need of urgent action. On top of environmental factors, this is mainly due to the current economic crisis including hyperinflation, shortage of currency, fuel and prolonged power shortages; widespread poverty; high levels of HIV/AIDS; and low agricultural output as drivers of the crisis.
Zimbabwe should not have to deal with starvation, this is a man-made crisis, a Zanu PF made crisis. Ever since 2000 when the party started to seize the white owned farms to give to party loyalists, mostly, the country has lost its cherish position as the breadbasket of the region. The party loyalists are profiting from the regime’s command agriculture whilst the nation starve.
Zimbabweans have been slow to stand up and demand change and now the worldwide corona virus pandemic is being added to our starvation problem. All these underlying problems of starvation, economic collapse, collapsed health care, corruption, gross mismanagement – all a result of Zanu PF being corrupt and incompetent – are making it that much harder for the nation to deal with covid-19! We are in serious trouble, it is sad that most people still refuse to open their eye to see it!
It is clear to see why the IMF and the rest have ignored this appeal, Zanu PF is making the same vague promises it has been making these last 40 years. Take the issue of political reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections without which it is impossible to see how the nation can ever hope to end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
“Government will provide a time-framed program for the omnibus Bill on Electoral Reforms, including setting up of a Parliament, Over-Sight Committee to implement the reforms before the constitutionally mandated next general elections; and
“Government to continue with the process of engaging in National Dialogue,” promised Minister Ncube,
Since President Mnangagwa has already made it abandonly clear that the July 2018 elections were free, fair and credible it is obvious the bill on electoral reforms will not be reforming such aspects as making sure there is a verified voters’ roll since this did not happen last time and it was considered unimportant!
If we are serious about making sure that the next elections are free, fair and credible then it is clear Zanu PF must step down to allow the necessary democratic reforms to be implemented.
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