“According
to the Africa 2016 Wealth Report, Zimbabwe has been ranked as the country with
the poorest people on the continent, with average wealth of $200 per person,”
reported Bulawayo 24.
“In
the report, AfrAsia - a Mauritius-domiciled financial institution which once
operated in Zimbabwe after acquiring the now-defunct Kingdom Financial Holdings
Limited - noted that back in 2000, Zimbabwe was one of the wealthiest countries
in sub-Saharan Africa on a wealth per capita basis.
“It listed Mauritius as the country with the wealthiest people, with an average wealth of $25 700 per person.”
“It listed Mauritius as the country with the wealthiest people, with an average wealth of $25 700 per person.”
How
the mighty have fallen!
Only
last week VP Emerson Mnangagwa was boasting about Zimbabwe having one of the highest
literacy rates in Africa; that must be a long time ago, when the country was
rich. Now that we are one of the poorest nation on the poorest continent; many
of our people cannot afford one decent meal a day, our literacy has gone to the
dogs!
The
tragedy of Zimbabwe is that we should, by right, be one of the wealthiest
countries on the continent if we solved our man-made problems.
Over
a year ago; when Mugabe admitted that $15 billions in diamond revenue was “swindled”,
very few people showed any concern. It was all water off a duck’s back. But
with all this evidence of growing poverty the nation will now be forced to pay
attention.
We
now know that Mugabe’s admission of $15 billions being swindled was a true
story because media houses like BBC and Spotlight Zimbabwe have uncovered the
evidence of serious looting and plunder in Zimbabwe. Mai Mujuru and her late
husband swindled over $15.8 billions in diamonds. Read more about it on the following site, http://spotlight-z.com/news/diamonds-mujuru-tried-sell/a
long
It is
over year ago since Mugabe admitted the swindling but still not even one person
has been arrested and not a single dollar recovered. Why? How can the regime
investigate the $15 billion without risking more stories of looting coming out;
it was not the Mujurus alone who have been looting.
But
to stay with the $15 billion for now. The money could have been used to finance
the building of Batoka Gorge Hydro Power Project, $1.5 billion (Zambia paying
its own share or else forfeit its share of the 800 MW). There would have been
enough cash left over to build a double lane dual carriage way motorways from
Chirundu in the North to Beitbridge in the South and from Mutare in the East to
Plumtree in the West and all connecting feeder roads. The positive effects of
these projects alone on the nation would have been immeasurable!
If
the Murujus realised $150 million, 1% of the loot, then they have done well. As
for what they have today to show for the loot, that is a tall order because most
of it was squandered of luxuries and pleasure.
The Zanu
PF regime has been using some of the looted diamond wealth from Marange and
Chiadzwa to bankroll its party activities and vote rigging schemes. For the
2013 elections Mugabe must have spend at least $4 billions and in the coming
elections the figure will very easily shoot up to $12 billions.
Whilst
the ordinary Zimbabwean’s income has fallen to a misery $200 per year, country’s
few ruling elite are some of the richest individuals in the whole world. It is
this chasm between the rich and the poor that is the reason why the idea of
losing power for the ruling elite is now unthinkable. Whilst the diamond wealth
should have been the ticket to national prosperity it has now become our
greatest curse in that the ruling elite are using the diamond wealth to finance
their vote rigging schemes.
For Zimbabweans
to start clawing their way up the economic ladder, we need to implement the
reforms and thus ensure free, fair and credible elections. We need political
transformation first and foremost before we can have economic transformation.
And the political transformation must start with the demands to have all the
democratic reforms implemented BEFORE the next elections.
@ Tanonoka
ReplyDeleteThe ordinary Zimbabwean may be the poorest person on the continent the ruling elite must be amongst the richest in the world. Mai Mujuru and her late husband had a loot of diamonds worth over US$ 15.8 billion. No doubt the husband squandered a big chunk of the loot before his death and there will be nothing to show for it today. The worst thing is Mugabe and his cronies are using some of their looted wealth to keep themselves in poor.
The diamonds should have been a blessing but now they are worst curse!
As long as nothing is done to stop Zanu PF rigging the vote the party will rule forever because the have billions of dollars to buy the votes one way or the other.
SA Police Minister Fikile Mbalula started a storm after he accused ex-soldiers from Zimbabwe of robbing banks and committing other violent crimes.
ReplyDeleteIf Zimbabweans are now the poorest people in Africa, then we should not be surprised to find that theft, prostitution, domestic violence and other acts of lawlessness will be some of the highest in Africa. Many of our people in SA, Botswana and many other countries, it will be unrealistic to think only the good and well behaved Zimbabweans are leaving the country and all the thieves, prostitutes, etc. are staying put! I for one will be loathed to slam down Minister Mbalula especial when Zimbabwe’s economic chaos is set to get even worse and thus criminal activity in Zimbabwe is set to soar. I hate having to eat humble pie!
We are the authors of our own down fall and, if we are ever going to get out, we will have grasp the nattle and grit our teeth because President Mugabe and the ruling elite are well entrenched into positions of power, they certainly are not going to give up power easily regardless of all the evidence of their failures!
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