COUNTRY IN FOCUS
ZIMBABWE:
WHEN THINGS
FALL APART PART 1
The roads in Zimbabwe are ageing and need
constant maintenance and upgrades.
Years of misrule has decimated the Zimbabwean economy, and for
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the chickens have come home to roost,
writes Leon Louw.
T
he more things change, the more they stay the same. This is the
normal dejected response one gets from most Zimbabweans
trying to eke out a living in a failed state. Surviving in one of the
poorest countries in the world has become an uphill battle for
a punch-drunk populace. When I wrote an article soon after President
Mnangagwa and his generals took up the reins in late 2017, there was
much optimism, and Mnangagwa proclaimed that his country was now
‘open for business’.
Parading his ardent nationalism, Mnangagwa treaded the world stage
with his colourful Zimbabwe scarf, ready to do business with whoever
was willing to take the risk of investing in what was once the pride of
Africa. Many investors were over the moon and squashed into planes to
24
African Mining September 2019
Harare or waited for hours to cross the border at Beitbridge to peg their
claims. Well, what the overly optimistic (including the author) forgot,
was that Mnangagwa and his generals wrestled the throne away from
dictator Robert Mugabe by means of a coup d'état, albeit one that the
citizens of Zimbabwe gave credence to. Let’s also not forget that the same
man who now rules, and his two right hand men, kept Mugabe in power
for almost 40 years. But, in the end, “it’s the economy, stupid,” as James
Carville so famously proclaimed in the early 90s. Because, no matter how
hard Mnangagwa tries, Zimbabwe is slipping, and its roller coaster ride
continues, at the peril of its people, business and investors. So, if things
have fallen apart in Zimbabwe, it’s a fair question to ask whether it is still
worth writing about. My answer would be yes, because despite its political
and economic troubles, the country has some of the most resilient citizens
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