Mugabe should take us seriously

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is back at home and at work and the generality of the population is hoping he will conjure up some magic wand to save the country from the prevailing political and economic quagmire.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is back at home and at work and the generality of the population is hoping he will conjure up some magic wand to save the country from the prevailing political and economic quagmire.

Mugabe returned from a more than-a-month long holiday in Singapore last Thursday, but immediately chose to hit out at his political opponents in Zanu PF, particularly former party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa who he derogatorily referred to as “a braying ass”.

Instead of indicating major policy directions his administration would take to rescue the comatose economy, Mugabe preferred to grandstand and dabble in hate language, in a clear sign he has no clue on taking Zimbabwe forward.

former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa
former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa

Whether Mutasa is indeed a braying ass or not is not important at moment at a time Zimbabwe is burning and in the intensive care unit. The country is in a crisis and citizens cannot be held at ransom because his faction-riddled party is in sixes and sevens.

Calling Mutasa names in front of an uncouth rented mob at the Harare International Airport does not put food on the table for the majority of Zimbabweans who have suffered for three decades under Mugabe’s misrule.

We are aware together with his family, they were living it up in Singapore while on a holiday during the festive season when most citizens had a bleak Christmas.

Pictures of Mugabe and his family enjoying surreptitious meals while on holiday are still fresh in the minds of long suffering Zimbabweans.

The least Zimbabweans expected was a public apology after one of his sons rebuked people who expressed disgust at the First Family’s partying. But we leave that for another day.

As if Mugabe’s sideshow upon his return was not enough, he proceeded to Zambia for the inauguration of the incoming Zambian president even before the voting counting had finished.

According to development analyst, Maxwell Saungweme, Mugabe needs to focus more on issues at home. Saungweme believes Mugabe should say something about families who lost their loved ones in the bus collision which claimed some 26 innocent lives and floods, to show compassion as the statesman he should be, and to get the government back to work again.

He should take emergency measures to address the liquidity crunch, and set up an urgent taskforce to look at power issues and reducing fuel prices.

We can’t agree more.