What marks the defining characteristics of the so-called second republic? The answer lies in the neglect and failure of a cabinet filled with ageing politicians who prioritise personal benefits over public welfare. This is all too clear when the same cabinet, instead of developing strategies to tackle the underlying issues causing the economy’s instability, is obsessively focused on raising prices. This policy exposes Zanu PF as an inefficient entity when it comes to economic revival and stabilisation, clearly showing its desperate attempt to cling onto power.
The consequences of this self-serving power retention have shrouded the nation in uncertainty. They fear the inevitable loss of wrongfully acquired wealth and the restoration of this wealth to its rightful owners, alongside facing justice in a fair and politically unbiased court. Evidently, Zanu PF is primarily concerned with its political survival, as this serves as a shield from losing power in the face of peaceful opposition transitions.
A deeper analysis reveals that Zanu PF’s fixation with power retention perpetuates the economic issues that necessitate price increases. This demonstrates a flagrant disregard for people’s welfare, which is fundamental for the delivery of quality public services such as education, healthcare, and legal representation. The obsession with political survival allows Zanu PF to continue exploiting public resources, thereby condemning the populace to enduring hardship.
How does an increase in the prices of goods and services, such as passports or subsidised transport, resolve anything? What prompts the same ineffective and illegitimate cabinet to secretly increase the remuneration of the security sector? These questions highlight a fundamental issue: the lack of prioritisation of people’s welfare. Zanu PF’s illegal activities contribute to the aggressive erosion of consumer purchasing power and income, which are battered by relentless inflation. Yet, Zanu PF fails to address the root causes of inflation, demonstrating a harmful preference for short-term fixes to long-term problems of its own creation.
Zanu PF knows what needs to be done. The nation needs reforms that include fair distribution of food aid and agricultural inputs, a freer media environment, and electoral reform. These would facilitate a peaceful transition of power to a genuine opposition that has faced numerous attacks, as well as protect vulnerable minority populations. However, Zanu PF is aware of the potential backlash these reforms would have on its abusive and exploitative rule. The people will demand accountability for the crimes committed, which Zanu PF has successfully evaded so far.
This lack of accountability is a pressing issue that necessitates national healing and reconciliation. Not only does Zanu PF violate provisional section 325 of the constitution by failing to adequately fund the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, but it also resists reforms that could restore constitutional rule, law and order, decentralise power, and liberalise the economy. These reforms could result in credit inflows and loans conditional on respect for human and property rights, thus removing the imagined budgetary constraints for the funding of crucial commissions.
By recognising what needs to be done but deliberately choosing not to act, Zanu PF displays a clear pattern of evading accountability and justice. This evasion is made possible by the party’s negligence of its primary duty – to prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of the people. Thankfully, neither the opposition executive nor local government representatives share this negligence. The golden era brought about by the opposition during the government of national unity, or the recent praise for the opposition-run local governance in Marondera, provides compelling evidence of the opposition’s ability and innovation driven by a primary focus on people’s welfare.
Zanu PF’s neglect of national healing, rebuilding, and reconciliation; people’s welfare, prompt and quality servicedelivery; and the safeguarding of people’s purchasing power from relentless inflation are just a few of the sacrifices made for its evasive measures. These strategies are meant to insulate Zanu PF from the inevitable demands for justice and accountability that would arise from the restoration of the rule of law and impartial courts. As such, it is evident that Zanu PF prefers these evasive measures over long-term solutions that would necessitate opposition involvement and reform. As a result, the cabinet, composed of out-of-touch politicians, has become a mechanism for perpetually increasing prices, creating short-term problems as a remedy for the long-term issues they themselves have created.