Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed that his country has the fastest growing economy in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. He made this statement while addressing the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York on Thursday, September 21, 2023.
Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe has continued to register “unprecedented development and economic success” in the past few years, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, sanctions, climate change and natural disasters. He attributed this achievement to his government’s policies and reforms, such as the Transitional Stabilization Program (TSP), the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET).
He also said that Zimbabwe has made significant progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially in the areas of poverty reduction, food security, health, education, gender equality, peace and justice. He called for more international cooperation and support to help Zimbabwe achieve its development goals.
Zimbabweans React With Skepticism and Anger to President’s Claim
However, many Zimbabweans living in abject poverty are reacting with skepticism and anger to Mnangagwa’s claim of economic growth. They say that the reality on the ground does not match the president’s rhetoric, as they face high inflation, unemployment, corruption, human rights violations and poor service delivery.
Some economists and members of the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have also disputed Mnangagwa’s claim, saying that he is either being misinformed or does not understand basic economics. They argue that Zimbabwe’s economy is still recovering from a two-year recession that ended in 2020, and that its growth rate is not comparable to other SADC countries that have more diversified and resilient economies.
They also point out that Zimbabwe’s growth rate is based on a low base effect, meaning that it reflects a rebound from a low level of output rather than a sustained increase in productivity and income. They say that Zimbabwe’s growth rate is not inclusive or sustainable, as it is driven by external factors such as commodity prices, remittances and donor aid, rather than by domestic investment, innovation and consumption.
Zimbabwean Opposition Figures Detained in Crackdown After Disputed Election
The CCC has also accused Mnangagwa’s government of cracking down on its supporters and activists after the disputed election of August 23, 2023, which the CCC described as a “gigantic fraud”. The CCC leader Nelson Chamisa challenged Mnangagwa’s victory in court, but the Constitutional Court dismissed his petition for lack of evidence.
Since then, several CCC politicians and activists have been arrested and charged with various offences, such as inciting violence, attempted murder and malicious damage to property. Some have also faced abduction, torture and harassment by suspected state agents. The CCC says that these cases are meant to intimidate and silence its members and supporters.
The crackdown has also drawn criticism from human rights groups, such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coalition of civil society organizations. The Forum has expressed concern about the state of the rule of law in Zimbabwe and the direction that the regime is taking in the next five years.
