Ministers raises eyebrows amid disasters
fuelling the spread of cholera.
Political analysts said Mnangagwa’s choice of Masuka as the best performing minister was questionable as the country faces its worst drought in years with authorities not clear on initiatives and other state led interventions to ensure no Zimbabwean goes hungry.
“The minister’s tenure has been marred by a series of policy failures, from inadequate measures to curb food shortages to the abysmal mismanagement of the urban water crisis,” Witwatersrand University-based political analyst Romeo Chasara said.
Masuka early this month refused to declare Bulawayo a water crisis area.
The Bulawayo City Council approached his office pleading that the city be declared a water crisis area to pave the way for international support to undertake short to medium interventions to alleviate the crisis.
“His inability to provide viable solutions has only deepened the suffering of vulnerable communities and exposed the government's incompetence in addressing pressing socio-economic challenges,” Chasara said. “He is only there to violate human rights.
“He has left Zimbabweans struggling to survive under dire conditions. Actually, he is the worst performer.”
Another political analyst Kudakwashe Munemo said it was surprising how Masuka earned the best minister award when people continue to grapple with hunger and demolition-induced displacements, arbitrary relocations, and acute water shortages.
“At a time when communities are facing development and demolition-induced displacements and arbitrary relocations and are suffering from acute water shortages in both the urban and rural communities coupled with the drought, which has exposed that there are no adequate grain reserves to sustain the country, to the ordinary citizen, there is nothing to celebrate,” Munemo said.
Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the majority of Mnangagwa’s ministers lacked merit.
“Those ministers have failed the country,” Mkwananzi said. “Our country is facing severe starvation; we are food insecure and the situation has even worsened.
“The ordinary citizens continue to suffer under their leadership.
“In summary, this country has no leadership; there is leadership vacuum and people of Zimbabwe must address that issue as a matter of agency.”
Zanu PF director of information and publicity, Farai Marapira, however, said there was no leadership vacuum.
“Ministers serve at the pleasure of the president towards his goals for vision 2030,” Marapira said.
“As Zanu PF we stand by his decision and support it totally.
“Analysts are entitled to their opinion but we as the party find no fault at all with these decisions and encourage the ministers to continue to excel and others to push harder so that they are the next recipients of these coveted awards.”
Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Owen Ncube, who was fired from the position of State Security minister by Mnangagwa two years ago for “conduct not befitting a cabinet minister” was also another controversial winner in the category of provincial ministers.
Ncube, who is considered to be the Zanu PF leader’s enforcer, is infamous for targeting oppositions supporters and government critics.