"72% of Zimbabweans now living in poverty" says Minister - we are the North Korea of Africa

POVERTY levels have remained very high with more than 70 percent of Zimbabweans living in poverty although extremes have been reduced from 35 to 16 percent, an event to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day in Harare Tuesday was told.

“Currently the poverty level in the country is estimated to be around 72.3 percent. The fiscal space remained subdued due to underperformance of domestic revenue generation, increase in public expenditure, depressed exports, limited foreign direct investment and other declining capital inflows into the country….” said Social Welfare Minister, Priscah Mupfumira.

 “Poverty is a multi-faceted state characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income from employment but also on access to services,” said UN Official, Adalphus Chinomwe.

Zimbabwe could have easily become the South Korea of Africa when the country attained her independence in 1980; we have the material resource, minerals, rich soils and good weather, etc. At the time, the late Tanzania President Julius Nyerere called Zimbabwe “the jewel of Africa”. We have failed to live to our true potential because of one reason – bad governance.

37 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption have destroyed the Zimbabwe economy send unemployment soaring into 90% plus. Today, Zimbabweans are the poorest people in Africa, according to the New World Wealth report. 72.3% of our people live in poverty, facing “severe deprivation of basic human needs including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information,” according to the UN’s own definition.

Poverty in Zimbabwe is a man-made problem, it is a bad governance problem. Being a man-made problem means it is in our power as humans to solve it and the solution is to ensure we have a good, competent government that is accountable to the people of Zimbabwe. We need to implement the democratic reforms to ensure next year’s elections, and all future elections from henceforth, are free, fair and credible.


Zimbabwe has become the North Korea of Africa, a Police State ruled with an iron fist by a few whilst the great majority live in fear and poverty. This has happened because we, the people, let it happen. Zimbabwe can still be the South Korea of Africa in which all enjoy freedoms, justice, rule of law and economic prosperity. The transformation will only happen if we demand the implementation of our fundamental freedoms and rights and mean it.