A year after Zanu PF’s succession war was settled with the
help of the military, the ruling party says it is happy with the direction in
which President Emmerson Mnangagwa is steering the country.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo (SKM) told Standard senior
reporter Xolisani Ncube (XN) in a wide-ranging interview that Mnangagwa was
committed to reviving the economy.
He said the ruling party was also happy that former
president Robert Mugabe’s ouster had ended politics of hate in the country and
put the economy at the centre.
He defended Zanu PF’s decision to splash millions of
dollars on top-of-the-range vehicles for its senior leaders at a time the
government is urging Zimbabweans to tighten their belts following the
introduction of austerity measures last month.
XN: It’s a year since former president Robert Mugabe was
toppled. As Zanu PF, do you still feel the way you changed your leadership was
right?
SKM: I believe as a party and government we have done a lot
of good work.
It has been a busy year for us as a party and our president
has set the ball rolling.
For the first time
in the history of Zimbabwe, we had more than 100 political parties contesting
in an election.
We had no violence, parties were allowed to campaign freely
and everyone respected other people’s rights and choices.
For the first time, we had 23 or more presidential
candidates and everyone was allowed to go to any place to campaign and sell
their message to the voters.
Since Zanu PF is a giant, we managed to win back our power
and also we are people-centred.
On the economic front, we have stabilised the economy and
have put measures to ensure that we have a middle-class economy by 2030, a
vision stated by our president. So I can tell you that we are on the right
track.
XN: But ordinary people feel the economic situation has
worsened after the departure of Mugabe.
We have shortages of basic goods and the financial markets are not
stable. What is your reaction to that?
SKM: You have to understand that Zimbabwe has had to endure
decades of isolation largely because of our land reform programme.
We have had sanctions put on us as a country and we have
suffered a lot.
When President Emmerson Mnangagwa took over, he opened his
hands for dialogue.
He has opened his government for business and we are
re-engaging with everyone across the globe.
So it would be impossible that we experience a turnaround
within a short space of time.
Also, let me tell you that we have noted sabotage by those
who do not want to see Zimbabwe flourish.
They cause shortages of foreign currency. It is important
to note that government has moved swiftly to address that.
If you were to go into shops, you will find a different
picture, our shops have restocked and we are slowly getting there.
Yes, we had challenges, but government has put in place
measures to address that.
Have you read about the government’s transition
stabilisation programme? We are working around the clock to ensure that we have
economic stabilisation and a turnaround.
XN: Corruption has been identified as a real threat to economic
recovery and people out there believe that the Zanu PF regime is doing nothing
to fight the scourge. How do you respond to that?
SKM: You might appreciate that since the coming-in of
President Mnangagwa, we have seen a number of people being arrested for
corruption.
The president has adopted zero tolerance to corruption. I
think you have seen bigwigs at the courts on allegations of corruption.
No matter your status in society, our president and our
laws are very clear: you must be accountable for your actions.
Even if you are a cabinet minister, a central committee
member or a politburo member, you will have to answer for your actions.
The president has promulgated policies that deal with
corruption. If you have been following events at the courts, you can tell that
the situation indeed has changed.
No matter your position, if you do a wrong thing, you will
have to answer for that.
Our anti-corruption drive is paying dividends, we will win
this war. It’s a war we should all sacrifice to win. Every Zimbabwean has a
mandate to fight corruption.
XN: What is Zanu PF’s position on Finance minister Mthuli
Ncube’s proposals to cut government expenditure by retrenching civil servants?
SKM: The government has adopted the transition
stabilisation programme, which deals with the public service and how as
government we should deal with our finances in terms of expenditure.
You must read through and appreciate what the government is
doing to address those anomalies.
More importantly, government has already begun the process
to trim down the public service by retiring and streamlining ministries and
departments.
So as a party, we are delighted that yes, the process is
not very quick, but we are moving. We have a number of challenges, but they are
not insurmountable.
XN: At a time the government is encouraging Zimbabweans to
tighten their belts, Zanu PF has been on a spending spree. People are asking
where the party is getting the money to buy top-of-the-range vehicles.
SKM: We are a gigantic party with a strong support base. We
have friends of the party as well who come in and assist.
We are an organised party, not a tuck-shop briefcase
movement thriving on stone-throwing and making noise, we have a social base
that has representation everywhere.
We have friends who believe in us as a party and assist
when need be.
XN: Some have alleged that you are using or abusing state
resources to acquire these assets while the taxpayer is wallowing in poverty.
SKM: The money we get from government is very clear. It is
regulated by law and given to every party with representation which is above 5%
in Parliament.
We don’t abuse any state resources, but work with a strong
budget supported by our people.
From government, we only get what is ours in accordance
with the law, the Political Parties Finance Act and all.
XN: So who is buying those top-of-the-range vehicles and
funding the party?
SKM: Which vehicles? we are a party of programmes and have
many friends, did I not say that? What do you want to hear?
No, we are not getting money from government other than
what is allocated to us as stated by the law; we are funded by our people and
get valuable assistance from our friends from time to time.
XN: Are you happy with the state of the party a year after
Mugabe’s exit from the scene?
SKM: Before the operation, we had disunity within the
party, there was no cohesion amongst our people and today we have a different
story.
The thrust of our politics as a country has shifted from
the politics of hate to economic agenda.
We might not have achieved all we wanted, but certainly we
are getting there. Standard
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