SONA: Zanu PF-induced pain not ending anytime soon

By Brian Sedze | Oct. 7, 2024 | 4 Min read

THE Zanu PF government is very playful. The State of Nation Address (SONA) be President Emmerson Mnangagwa is a signal that the perpetual evil and pain induced on the people is not going to end any time soon.

The biggest challenges Zimbabwe face include and are not limited to employment, currency, inflation, rail infrastructure, city council deficiencies, economic growth that is not sufficient, retail sector death, crony capitalism, crony corruption, lack of innovation funnels to replace industries that must die, energy and saving formal tax paying entities.

We got nothing but got the same playful act of a country planning to be a middle-class economy through an emphasis on the same old 1980 Robert Mugabe ideas on agriculture and mining. It’s 2024 and we have the same strategy as in 1980.That’s being very playful.

In his opening remarks, the President speaks about delivering some greatness to Zimbabweans. It was a good start but his people have no jobs and have no idea what is next.

Job creation based on the old, tired and irrelevant fixation on mining, agriculture and old industrial complex is a mirage. Those industries must destroy jobs rather than create. Technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, mechanisationand modernisation destroy rather than create. Our challenges are jobs and whoever is advising the president on this focus is not fit for purpose.

Across the political and social divide, we must all agree that a state of nation address is of no use without addressing currency. It is going to “kill’ the tax paying retail sector, formal business and industry. Zig was a great idea which was implemented using very insane, murky and delinquent manner. The president should have addressed currency. That he didn’t address currency is very playful in a very sad situation.

One of the cores of the address was a cry to up mining output, increase tourism, production of more grains and power supply. I do not know why it didn’t occur to the President that all those ideas he has are based on natural resources yet the idea of leading is intervention. Planning an economy using God-given resources is not exactly competence.

Several players have accused Zanu PF of crony capitalism and some say even massive looting. Murky tenders have also been thrown as an albatross on a country neck. It’s tough but I just do not understand why corruption and specifically allegations about it being in the inner circle was not addressed. It’s being playful to assume the people are not in serious pain because of the people who are eating on behalf of millions of Zimbabweans.

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The state of councils is absurd. People in Harare as an example live in filth with no working sewage systems, litter, no water and traffic lights. Repeated living with a third world mindset and cities is something that should have found favour in the President’s speech. Our new normal is a playful act. I had hoped that the President would address that.

It was really obnoxious of the President to try and emphasize on good corporate governance. It’s a great idea but how do we have an entity so humongous, tax payer funded and State -controlled as in Munhumutapa Investment Fund that is outside procurement, strategy, disposal and audit purview. It’s like saying one thing then doing the other.

I heard the President emphasizing on stewardship of resources for the future generation. Very great idea. However, when are our Chinese friends going to play by the rule book. It seems they follow no law. I would have expected “svasvangai vanhu” mantra.

It was a relief that women and micro, small and medium-scale are being promoted to export. It is weird how that will assist anyone in a sustainable manner without a robust and government supported innovation funnel. Ideas are with everyone and as a person I suggested innovation hubs an idea stolen by University of Zimbabwe Vice -Chancelor as his own. Truly how can a President speechifying to think ideas are only resident at a university instead of deploying an open and inclusive innovation platform.

One thing the president the President failed and or neglected to address is human capital and his appointments. It must change. He has always been employing based on qualifications, real or assumed. Zanu PF has lost its leadership code as its appointees have qualifications but no character. They have no empathetic feeling for fellow human beings, which is our ubuntu. They have no connection with the grassroots at all. If they did they will know and feel that people are suffering. Why are they doing this at Zanu PF.

The SONA was just a high sounding nothing, and we need to stop being playful to address people’s challenges.

Brian Sedze is a strategy, innovation and compliance consultant. He is also the executive director of Free Enterprise Initiative.He can be contacted on [email protected]