The Sunday News
Michael Mhlanga
THE Gregorian days come to a halt, marking a full 365 and a quarter day of daily lives marked by joy and sorrow.
For any Zimbabwean, 2019’s unfolding will be a reminisce of the passing on of the legendary Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the catastrophe of Cyclone Idai, the severe drought, Zimbabwe’s new currency, January protests and the doctors’ strike, the arrest of Prisca Mupfumira and the inflation craze.
From the January protests right across the string of arrests of prominent figures to the “austerised” festive, the big question is; did the week in and out analysis in this space tackle the 2019 subjects objectively and was the space impactful to trigger debate or influence policy change? Let us reflect and perhaps meditate on the quarters that marked the year.
Possibly, the events shaped Zimbabwe’s history and influenced the future massively, they deserve a revisit.
January Protests
The year was greeted by a solemnity, destruction of property and calamities on human life. The 14 January protests became a central subject on the discussion of how citizens can and should register their discontent to the Government. We woke up to looting of shops where even weird loots such as an ox-drawn plough, toilet chambers, bar-code scanners and till machines; in some cases, thought provoking loots such as exercise books, plastic and khakhi covers by school children were part of the boot.
Looking at such, demands that we objectively question the choices that were made in the craze, we should ask ourselves if all the looters knew the consequences and what they were willing to give up during that frenzy, if ever it was.
I remember a series I penned in this very space which interrogated how the subject was debated. It’s prudent to remember that some arguments were bound by philosophical and moral convictions in which civil disobedience was justified when its intention is to force Government’s attention and its outcome achieves a reduction in fuel prices and the life of the ordinary Zimbabwean is instantly made better.
On the other hand, realists and pragmatists rejected that thinking, referencing how contextually, civil disobedience was banditry and targeted private enterprises, suffering like everyone, and how the destruction of police vehicles and assault of law enforcers was a tampering and testing of the State’s legitimacy to use force to restore order.
While both arguments defend actions of dissenting sides, they instruct one important thing: How dissent, in its competitive nature, with all its nerves and thirst of dominating, poorly addressed is hazardous and its outcome is never favourable.
Inflation craze
If there is a year that pressed everyone who has lived long to the edges, then 2019 is the year. Those who have lived long enough to remember 2006-08 and its inflation craze agree that there are moments in 2019 that scared the nails out of us. The competition of the streets and the official bank rate dazzled both suppliers and customers sending all into an ecstasy of uncertainty.
The prices of goods were in constant vibration with no one to protect the consumer. Every “eater” became the “meal” of the supplier, foreign currency sluggishly becoming the de facto currency to a Zim-Dollar earning person; chaos was looming, and with no arrest of the inflation craze, Zimbabwe would be in a worse off situation than it is.
The introduction of the interbank option, for a moment stabilised the effects of the black-market, but honestly it only bought time, just a little before the streets reclaimed the control. What can be honoured, but yet to be ascertained with authority by economists, is the introduction of the local currency.
The monetary move has for a moment staged a stalemate with the black-market rates where lavish lifestyles are gained overnight by kings and queens of “float”.
The big question we should ask ourselves as we enter a new millennium decade is: How are we to deal with the black-market money industry so daring to trade in front of even spaces of justice? A trade we all know is destroying the economy of the country.
Is Zacc a “bulldog” and did the PAC advise?
This year, two interesting things happened as well, the first was the aggressive drive by Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo in executing the roles of Zacc and the second was the appointment of the Presidential Advisory Council (Pac). For some time, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission had been labelled a “toothless” bulldog because of its limited power. Well, 2019 marked one of Zacc’s “biting” years when Prisca Mupfumira, a former Cabinet Minister was arrested on corruption charges among other prominent names that visited Zimbabwe’s holding cells as a product of Zacc’s actions.
To some gleam of hope for justice being served and corruption being nipped in the bud, Zimbabweans were hopeful that transparency and accountability is at last being served. Accompanying this celebration was the appointment of the not so talked about Presidential Advisory Council made up of prominent Zimbabweans with extensive experience and influence outside politics.
A much plausible move it was, and Zimbabweans are still hopeful to confirm that the PAC advised, at least once or twice. Perhaps a constant feedback to the citizens on the actions of the PAC would do much better in 2020, feedback is a pinnacle of democracy anyway.
Natural disasters and drought
There is a string of natural disasters that bleaked 2019, saddest of them all being Cyclone Idai that hit the eastern parts of the country in March, leaving many homeless, orphaned and traumatised. Cyclone Idai should confirm to all and sundry the effects of climate change and how it has taken a toll mostly on developing countries like Zimbabwe. Until today, the effects of March’s cyclone are still a huge national challenge.
This is accompanied by a lingering drought that has left urban areas hungrier and rural areas extremely food insecure. If there is anything that threatens a country, its shortage of food, an increase in aid is a confirmation of this problem that has been exacerbated by the severe drought.
The Government subsidy on maize can go as far, but more needs to be done in 2020. For those prone to cyclones, we need to explore affordable means of utilising early warning systems and protecting vulnerable communities.
Indeed, 2019 was a year and a half, let’s use it, not to repeat it.
