AS the curtain comes down on 2014, Zimbabweans look set for another bleak New Year as indications are that the faction-riddled ruling Zanu PF is still clueless on rescuing the prevailing moribund economy in the next twelve months.
Most citizens battled in the past year to put food on the table as well as send children to school, among other necessities, owing to the dead economy.
But indications suggest it would be more of the same in 2015 with numerous economic problems, top among them the prevailing liquidity crunch and galloping unemployment, persisting into the New Year.
What is worrying is that the First Family is reportedly living it up in the Far East without any indications President Robert Mugabe and his hangers-on have the political wherewithal to address economic ills bedevilling the country, save for self-serving political machinations in Zanu PF as the party battles with factionalism.
Even on well-deserved holidays, the political leadership is expected to give policy direction for the coming year, but not with the Zanu PF administration.
Instead of dealing with the burning economy, Zanu PF appears content with scorched earth-policies as well as internal fights. There are recent reports of continued political shenanigans to purge in the New Year about 100 legislators perceived to be aligned to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
This, as independent newspapers reports suggested, is likely to lead to fresh polls as the opposition MDC-T is also pushing for the recall from Parliament of 19 legislators that defected to the Renewal team.
Zimbabwe does not need elections in 2015 when the country is in such a mess; what it urgently needs is the revitalisation of the comatose economy, period.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Anything other the resuscitation of the economy would be suicidal for a country which has been leaping from one election to another. There is a need for an all-stakeholders approach to the dire 2015 outlook.
If political parties, business, church, social movements etc do not converge with the common interest of rescuing the national economy, we would be sliding back to poverty of immeasurable levels and starvation.
It is our humble submission, for instance, that there is need for policy consistency regarding the indigenisation law and property rights if the stagnate economy is to stabilise.
Failure by the political leadership to take our advice, 2015 is doomed to be another “dead year” and Zimbabweans should brace for further economic hardships in the New Year.
