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Further Analysis of Mnangagwa’s Policies:
This Article is a continuation of a Question of Talent within Zanu PF and their 'Administration (see previous Article CLICK HERE)
Analysing Emmerson Mnangagwa’s policies as president of Zimbabwe since November 2017 involves examining their intent, implementation, and outcomes across key areas: economic management, governance, infrastructure, agriculture, and foreign relations. The focus here is on their practical impact, drawing from observable results rather than stated goals alone, and situating them within Zimbabwe’s challenging context—marked by decades of decline under Robert Mugabe, international sanctions, and domestic political tensions.
Economic Management
Mnangagwa’s flagship economic policy, encapsulated in the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra, aimed to attract foreign investment and stabilize the economy post-Mugabe. Key initiatives include:
- Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP, 2018-2020): Led by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, this austerity-driven plan sought to cut public spending, remove subsidies, and introduce a new currency (the RTGS dollar, later replaced). It included a controversial 2% tax on electronic transactions to boost revenue. Implementation faltered due to public backlash—fuel price hikes in January 2019 sparked deadly protests—and persistent currency instability. Inflation soared to over 500% by 2020, eroding purchasing power.
- Currency Reforms: The reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar in 2019 (abandoning the multi-currency system) and the launch of the gold-backed Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) in April 2024 aimed to curb hyperinflation and black-market trading. While the ZiG has shown early signs of stabilizing exchange rates, public trust remains low due to past currency collapses, and parallel markets persist. Real GDP growth was 8.5% in 2021 (a post-COVID rebound), but it slowed to 3% by 2023, per World Bank estimates, far below the 10% annual target of Mnangagwa’s “Vision 2030” for upper-middle-income status.
- Outcome: Economic policies have failed to deliver sustainable growth or investor confidence. FDI inflows remain negligible (e.g., $340 million in 2022, per UNCTAD), dwarfed by regional peers like Zambia ($1.1 billion). Unemployment exceeds 80% informally, and poverty affects over 70% of the population, per ZimStat 2023 data. Talent in design exists—Ncube’s academic credentials suggest capability—but execution is undermined by corruption and lack of structural reform.
Governance and Political Administration
Mnangagwa promised a break from Mugabe’s authoritarianism, pledging democratic reforms and reconciliation:
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STOP THE CONSTITUTIONAL INJUSTICE IN ZIMBABWE
We implore the British Government as represented by the Office of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Africa, the FCDO’s Southern Africa Desk and the FCDO’s Zimbabwe desk, as subject to the Election on the 4th July 2024 to action this PETITION; {CLICK HERE TO Read and/or Download}
Through the representations within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, {New} Government Ministers, UK Embassy in Zimbabwe, the SADC liaison Group and the relations with the US Embassy in Zimbabwe;
We submit the following evidence as to the crimes of the ruling Zanu PF regime of which this PVO Bill is just a recent example.
We beseech the Government of the United Kingdom to entertain a more balanced representation of the interests of Zimbabwe, including opposition spokespeople both here in the UK diaspora, International diaspora and those faithful to the democratic process yet to be fully established by the Zanu PF regime – after 44 years in power.
The Zimbabwean President must not sign the new law proposed; which is the PVO Private Voluntary Organisation Amendment Bill. #STOPPVOBILL
Responding to the ‘PVO hearings’ which took place last week in Zimbabwe, Basil Kamombe a UK based Activist has condemned the violence which likely shows that a number of people present were bussed-in by Zanu-PF ‘elites’ and politicians. Cases of violence were recorded during the hearings.
“This bill is disastrous and especially a time where the Zimbabwean government is just passing laws that are shrinking the democratic space in Zimbabwe.”
How would something that likely benefit the country, but have a group of people singing
“Asingade ngaabude muZimbabwe” meaning if you don’t, want leave Zimbabwe or slogans like “tengesa uone mashura” (sellout and see what happens) it is the language of Zanu-PF and the language of violence to instil fear to those against the Bill,”
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While Zimbabwe’s ruling party continues its campaign to quash opposition forces post-election, the Southern African Development Community takes a “business as usual” approach.
November 13, 2023 9:20 am (EST)
Following Zimbabwe’s shambolic August elections, even the normally accommodating Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) observation mission acknowledged that the process “fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.” So, what did Southern African leaders do at the most recent SADC Summit in Luanda? They “noted” the observation mission’s report, and nothing more. At a time when African citizens are clearly signaling [PDF] their frustration with manipulated elections and democratic window-dressing serving as cover for corrupt and authoritarian leadership, SADC leaders bury their heads in the sand.
It’s certainly not because the post-election trend line in Zimbabwe is positive, or because “quiet diplomacy” is bearing any fruit. Political violence persists in the wake of the elections. In early November, opposition member of parliament Takudzwa Ngadziore reported being abducted and violently assaulted, becoming at least the third opposition figure to report such treatment since the August elections. Still more have been arrested on spurious charges.
The state also has sustained its campaign of aiding and abetting political identity theft. First, a group with little real political base was assisted by Zimbabwe’s pliant judiciary in co-opting the name and resources of the Movement for Democratic Change, the country’s main opposition party for years, and forcing the real opposition to rebrand as the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in 2022. Most recently, after a person claiming to be the “interim Secretary-General” of the CCC wrote to the speaker of the National Assembly claiming that fifteen newly elected opposition parliamentarians were no longer members of the party, riot police were dispatched to expel them from the chamber. The letter’s author has no legitimate claim to any leadership position in the CCC; he simply gave himself a title and carried on to pursue the agenda of the ruling ZANU-PF, which aims to hold by-elections to fill those seats in their quest to build a majority large enough to change the constitution. The same imposter has asked the Minister of Local Government to remove elected mayors and city councilors who were elected under the CCC banner. The absurdity of the situation is in part intended to convey the notion that petty infighting pervades the political scene, and that Zimbabwean citizens should simply steer clear.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his inner circle believe they can act with near-total impunity. While Southern African leaders bemoan the way Zimbabwe’s protracted crisis leads to politically explosive migration and dampens investor enthusiasm, they are unable or unwilling to confront the problem. It’s the same failure of leadership that has plunged other African regions into dangerous instability.
Reina Patel contributed to the research for this article.
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Zimbabwe’s problem is Zanu PF’s intimidation and kleptocracy, not the country’s youth: Tony Reeler
- First, Zambia, like every single other SADC country, has the military firmly under civilian control. Unlike Zimbabwe, which has been a closed securocrat State since 2008, and, following the coup in 2017, clearly a militarised State.
- Second, Zimbabwe and all its institutions are captured under this arrangement. Any reliance on the separation of powers or the independence of State institutions is mistaken.
- Third, the rampant comprador behaviour, the corruption on an industrial scale, the total absence of oversight by Parliament over government (so clearly shown in the reports of the Auditor-General), and collapse of public services have reduced virtually the entire population to penury.
Youth unemployment in Zimbabwe
Politics matters too
Tony Reeler is co-convener of the Platform for Concerned Citizens. He is also a long-standing human rights activist and researcher on rights and governance. He writes here in his personal capacity.
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The mainstream media can now assess Zimbabwe's COP26 performance in a couple of words - Booze Cruise!
This tragedy for the population of Zimbabwe is a result of 41 years of oppression, mismanagement, corruption, looting and extreme human rights abuse [ abductions, torture and deaths]. The [illegal] Zanu PF regime in Zimbabwe, can trick and fool their own populations due to a captured State TV, Newspapers and other media - but this counted for nothing when on Sunday 31st October, on the pretext of a COP26 invitation, two thoughtless bozo's, proudly proclaimed that the "party has started".
Missing the point completely but used to lying in his public position as a spokesman [propaganda] in Zimbabwe, Nick Mangwana celebrated the booze buying duo as a positive event [at a Climate Conference no less?]. Not fully appreciating that social media was already full of [illegal] President E D Mnangagwa, with his 100 hangers-on in his private jet was hitting the Carbon Dioxide tonnage to arrive at this Climate Event. In this case the sh*t really did hit the fan! With International Coverage of this utter hypocrisy!
The Times - United Kingdom, Daily Mail Article, Metro Article, Scottish Sun, Celex s205, eminetra and Inews Article regarding Booze all covering this absurd display of childish excess [so far!]. UPDATE: It gets worse, the UK TV BBC Comedy Programme, "Have I Got News For You" on Thursday night on the 4th Novembebr 2021 Mocked the Zimbabwean Delegation with this video clip - Total International Mockery - a tragedy for the real Zimbabwe and their diaspora [click the text here to see it on our Twitter Account]. At least the iNEWS team gave a mention to the hundred of Zimbabwean [and other] Protesters outside who were extremely vocal [ with singing protest songs to music and drums] about the long list of failings of this [illegal] Zimbabwean Zanu PF Government [Junta or Cabal or Mafia are better descriptors]. To that list they now have Climate Ignorance and Self Aggrandisment !
On the Tuesday the 2nd November the protesters listened with incredulity to Mnangagwa's [scripted] speech. The News Channel "Zim Eye" captured to mood with a Live Video as Mnangagwa trotted out his platitudes and request for more money. He also shoe-horned into his talk on the Environment, with a complaint about the [Targeted] Sanctions [he claimed were on Zimbabwe, but in practice they are on the criminal individuals and corporations looting Zimbabwe]. The protest group were completely unimpressed.
The tragedy however, is that Zimbabwe needs so much support and assistance now. All entirely due to 41 years of corruption, mismanagement, human rights abuse and environmental ineptitude - allowing indiscriminate mining practices.
Zimbabwe is a disaster - all down to the Zanu PF regime. Even their pleas for Climate Change assistance - are hollow due to their Environmental ignorance. Funds sent by well-wishing agencies and other Governments have never been spent on alleviating damage caused, for instance, by Hurricane Ida. The degradation and deforestation allowed by Chinese Mining Organisations in Zimbabwe, clearly demonstrate an 'administration' devoid of any concept of soil erosion and mining pollution. These are not "Climate Emergencies, but a callous disregard for the duty of "Stewardship", the protection of "Mother Earth", Gaia and all other concepts to do with balance and harmony with Nature.
In complete contrast, and without a script, but from the heart Chief Ndiweni was being interviewed many times 
with the protest group [Video on Twitter courtesy of Valarie Karimakwenda], regarding the solutions to the clearly man-made [Zanu PF junta] crises in Zimbabwe. The sewage in the streets, the lack of available drinking water, the rationed electricity supply, the state capture of the Institutions and such like. In fact the Zimbabwean Government appear to have failed every single one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals [UNSDG's] - Every one! As part of the protest consortia, we have produced a petition to Boris Johnson, which will be re-presented on Thursday November the 11th to 10 Downing Street, as evidence of the multitude of failings of this Zanu PF regime in its 41 year tenure CLICK HERE TO READ. This petition will be annexed with a critical write up of the performance of the Zimbabwe Zanu PF regime at COP26 - not a very good performance at all.
As a group we had sought to plea with Alok Sharma [President of COP26] and Vicky Ford; MP [and Minister for Africa], to permit Chief Ndiwendi to be allowed to speak at the COP26 meeting - not with the current President - as his knowledge and passion for the Zimbabwean Environment is without parallel. However we received no response to our e-mails.
