ZCP criticises Mnangagwa’s SONA for failing to address inflation and economic collapse

The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) has expressed deep disappointment with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), accusing him of failing to provide concrete solutions to Zimbabwe’s spiralling economic crisis, rampant inflation and the dire plight of struggling citizens.

Speaking shortly after the president delivered his address on Wednesday at the opening of the Second Session of the 10th Parliament in Mount Hampden, ZCP General Secretary Nicholas Ngqabutho Mabhena condemned Mnangagwa for sidestepping the critical issues affecting the majority of Zimbabweans.

“It is unfortunate that President Emmerson Mnangagwa, when presenting the state of the nation address, did not deal with the key issues of the economy. He did not address how to rebuild Zimbabwe’s economy, nor did he offer solutions to alleviate the burden of soaring inflation,” Mabhena told CITE.

“We need to build an economy that is democratic and free from the influence of imperialist forces, an economy that is national in character, where everyone participates and benefits.”

Mabhena also took aim at Mnangagwa’s optimistic projection of a record wheat harvest, calling it detached from the reality faced by millions of Zimbabweans who are currently in need of food aid. 

During his SONA, Mnangagwa had announced: “A new record wheat harvest of 600,000 tonnes is projected from the 2024 winter crop. This is a result of our unity of purpose and effective policy frameworks.”

However, Mabhena rejected this assertion, pointing to the government’s recent appeals for international food aid as evidence that the country’s agricultural sector is struggling.

“The president seems to suggest that there will be a record wheat harvest of 600,000 tonnes when we all know millions of people are in need of food aid. It is his own government that has issued statements appealing for international food aid. His claims simply do not align with the realities on the ground,” remarked the ZCP general secretary.

One of the most pressing concerns raised by the ZCP General Secretary was the ongoing mass exodus of young Zimbabweans to other countries in search of better opportunities. Mabhena lamented that Mnangagwa failed to address the unemployment crisis that has driven thousands of youth out of Zimbabwe, leaving them a burden on neighbouring countries.

“The president’s speech made no mention of the thousands of young people fleeing the country due to unemployment and a collapsed economy. The government remains clueless on how to turn the economy around, and this failure continues to push our youth to other countries,” Mabhena said.

While acknowledging Mnangagwa’s announcement on the expansion of e-passport services, Mabhena criticised the government for the high cost of passports, which he argued is unaffordable for many Zimbabweans, particularly those living in the diaspora.

“The opening of an e-passport office is welcome, but the passport is extremely expensive. The government is exploiting Zimbabweans abroad, knowing that passports generate revenue. For instance, Zimbabweans in South Africa will pay US$250 for a passport, but if they don’t have a permit to be legal in the country, the passport is useless. We continue to call on the government to drastically reduce passport prices,” Mabhena urged.

The ZCP official further criticised Mnangagwa for his failure to address the persistent electricity and water shortages affecting the country.

In his SONA, Mnangagwa mentioned ongoing efforts to improve power generation at Kariba Power Station and the expected commissioning of projects by Independent Power Producers. However, Mabhena dismissed these statements as “hot air.”

“We always hear talk of work being done at Kariba, but we have a serious electricity crisis in Zimbabwe. His speech offered no real solutions, and next year, we will still be talking about the same problems. This also speaks to the ongoing water challenges,” he said.

Mabhena also condemned the government’s decision to charge citizens for boreholes, as well as its recent move to tax individuals renting chairs in hair salons.

“Currently, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is charging people for boreholes, and we are seeing the government saying salons should pay taxes. People who rent a chair in hair salons are being targeted for revenue collection. We condemn such moves. This government is clueless. Zanu PF must go because it has failed to turn around the Zimbabwean economy,” Mabhena concluded.

“While Mnangagwa’s gave a glowing picture, the reality shows something else and many Zimbabweans are unhappy with the government’s handling of the economic crisis. As inflation continues to rise and essential services deteriorate, there is more pressure on Mnangagwa’s government to deliver tangible solutions.”