By Everson Mushava
Zimbabwe is sitting on a time bomb that can explode anytime because of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s poor governance.
This was said yesterday by Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDCA) president Nelson Chamisa.
Speaking in an interview with The Standard, Chamisa said the country was degenerating into deeper crisis every day and its people were in such pain it now posed a serious threat to national security.
“Zimbabwe is a ticking time bomb. We are sitting on a time bomb,” Chamisa said.
“Zimbabwe is suffering; it is in serious crisis that runs the risk of imploding soon. We have a hungry population, a nation that is in pain. No citizen is without a charge sheet against government: pensioners, vendors, women, youths, the unemployed, nurses, doctors, teachers and workers in the private sector among them, and this is a fact.”
He added: “As I speak, there is hunger in the townships, villages, farms, police posts and police camps, there is hunger everywhere. Hunger knows no wall. It does not pay respect to political party affiliation or tribal belonging of clan. It is a common threat to survival.”
Zimbabwe is experiencing serious economic hardships characterised by hyperinflation. The bond note is losing value, and shortages and high pricing of critical commodities such as fuel, bread are increasing on the backdrop of poor unchanging salaries, among other life challenges.
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Above all though, is the high risk of getting sick in a country whose health delivery system has been crippled by mass job action by health workers and non-availability of medicines.
Mnangagwa has constantly blamed sanctions for the economic meltdown and on Friday sought to highlight this through a national protest march which flopped spectacularly due to poor turnout.
The European Union and the United States, which imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe close to two decades ago, have since hit back, accusing high profile corruption in government, lack of rule of law and gross human rights abuses as the causes of the country’s economic woes.
Referring to Mnangagwa’s sanctions blame, Chamisa said: “We can’t specialise in treating symptoms ignoring the real problem, which is governance and corruption. We use violence to transact our political problems, we victimise each other. We are too polarised and can’t even celebrate our diversity.
“We must be attacking and correcting the real problems. We are fighting the wrong wars; the real issue is governance and legitimacy. There is a political crisis in the country and a general lack of confidence in those who claim to be in leadership. The social contract is broken.”
He added: “The nation is in a precarious position. There is no definition of failure beyond what we have experienced with Mnangagwa’s leadership. There is high unemployment and the unemployed youth are a threat to national security.”
Referring to corruption, Chamisa said: “We have two countries in one, rich people looting national resources and the very poor people. The national cake is not shared equally.
Freedom was never about Zanu PF, but all Zimbabweans, the liberation war was not fought for one party; but we have a de facto one party state. That is why they want to label MDC as enemies, terrorists.”
Chamisa said the affairs in the country pointed to a boiling point and was hopeful the end of Mnangagwa was coming close.
“Zimbabwe is headed in the wrong direction. The country is on a wrong path, a path to nowhere.
“But I have good news and they will see it very soon. A national drumbeat has informed me that the end is nigh. Many cannot see the end that is so near, but it is coming.”
