By Andrew Tinashe Masuka
4th November 2026
A nation rich in resources, yet its people continue to struggle.
Zimbabwe is not a poor country. It is a country blessed with
gold, diamonds, platinum, lithium, fertile land and intelligent people. Yet
millions of its citizens continue to struggle with unemployment, poverty, poor
public services and economic instability.
Since independence in 1980, ZANU-PF has dominated the
country’s political leadership. After 46 years, it is only fair to ask: What
has the party done with the responsibility entrusted to it by the people?
How can a country so rich in natural resources have citizens
struggling to afford basic necessities? Why are graduates leaving university
without employment? Why are families being separated because parents must
travel abroad to provide for their children?
These are not simply economic questions. They are questions
about leadership, accountability and the management of a nation’s wealth.
The people are paying the price.
Corruption is not just about money disappearing from
government accounts. It is about hospitals without adequate medicines, schools
without sufficient resources, unfinished infrastructure and opportunities that
never reach ordinary citizens.
ZANU-PF cannot govern for decades and blame every failure on
sanctions, foreign interference or previous governments. External challenges
exist, but they do not absolve those who have held power for so long of
responsibility.
The liberation struggle brought Zimbabwe independence, but
independence was supposed to bring more than a flag and a national anthem. It
was supposed to bring freedom, dignity, opportunity and a better life.
The sacrifices of the liberation struggle should never be
used as an excuse to avoid accountability today.
A generation forced to leave home.
Perhaps the greatest tragedy is the number of Zimbabweans
who have had to leave their homeland to find opportunities elsewhere.
Parents are separated from children. Families depend on
relatives abroad for school fees, food and medical expenses. Young people with
qualifications are building careers in countries other than the one they call
home.
Zimbabweans abroad have become an economic lifeline for
countless families.
But why should a country with so much natural wealth depend
so heavily on money sent home by its own citizens working thousands of
kilometres away?
A nation should create opportunities for its people, not
force them to search for a future elsewhere.
Zimbabwe belongs to its people, not a political party
ZANU-PF played a significant role in Zimbabwe’s liberation
history, and that history deserves recognition. But political history cannot be
used to justify decades of unanswered questions.
Criticising the government is not betraying Zimbabwe.
Demanding accountability is not disrespecting the liberation struggle. Wanting
better leadership is not hating your country.
No political party owns Zimbabwe. No president is above
accountability, and no individual should be more important than the welfare of
millions of citizens.
Zimbabwe needs transparent leadership, independent
institutions, genuine economic opportunities, and a system in which public
resources benefit the public.
The question ZANU-PF must answer
After 46 years in power, Zimbabweans deserve more than
political slogans and promises of a brighter future.
They deserve to know where their country’s wealth goes, why
corruption remains a concern, and why ordinary people continue to carry the
burden of economic hardship.
How many more generations must leave Zimbabwe before the
country becomes a place where its own people can build successful lives?
How much longer must citizens wait for the opportunities
they were promised?
ZANU-PF did not inherit Zimbabwe to own it. It inherited a
responsibility to serve its people.
Zimbabwe is bigger than ZANU-PF. It is bigger than any
president, politician or political party.
The country belongs to its people, and its natural wealth
should create opportunities for its people.
A country should not be judged by how wealthy its leaders
become, but by how well its people live.
Zimbabweans deserve to enjoy their own country.
About the author
Andrew Tinashe Masuka is a human rights activist based in the United
Kingdom. He is in the Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human
Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. He is also active with the Constitution Defenders
Forum (CDF) and Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO). He can be contacted
by email at druemasuka@gmail.com
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