"ZANU PF Cannot Eat Its Cake And Have It", - The Africa Report

The ruling ZANU PF party is partly to blame for the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy and social services, and should not blame sanctions for the suffering of the masses, Malunga writes for The Africa Report.

It has been asked how Rhodesia’s economy thrived while it was at war and under sanctions while Zimbabwe has collapsed while at peace. Malunga opines:

The answer is clear: bad governance, poor leadership, and the corruption of political elites. Were the country well-governed and led honestly, there is no reason why the suspension of foreign aid should have led to catastrophe.

What caused it was a failure of leadership. Instead of responding to changed circumstances and the demands for pluralism from the opposition, ZANU-PF went into survival mode and resorted to plundering and scapegoating.

Western powers are also partly to blame for the catastrophe after they withdrew support for health and education in Zimbabwe at the turn of the Millenium.

The sanctions, whether targeted on individuals or specific entities, usually hurts ordinary citizens far more than corrupt elites and that is the case with Zimbabwe.

More: The Africa Report