By Political Reporter- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) has fallen flat, offering little more than platitudes and deflections of the promises he made in November 2017 when he removed President Robert Mugabe through a military coup.
His Wednesday speech was largely devoid of actionable policies, leaving many Zimbabweans questioning his leadership.
Zimbabwe is grappling with severe economic distress, marked by skyrocketing inflation, a collapsing local currency, and massive job losses across key sectors.
Instead of addressing these issues head-on, Mnangagwa chose to shift the blame, accusing the private sector of exploiting the foreign exchange market and engaging in parallel market activities.
This failure to take responsibility or offer new strategies has only heightened public frustration.
At the heart of Zimbabwe’s economic woes is the collapse of the Zimbabwe Intermediated Government (ZiG) currency, introduced in April 2024
. Mnangagwa’s defence of the currency during his speech did little to instil confidence, especially as the Reserve Bank struggles to control inflation and stabilise the exchange rate.
While the President hailed the supposed benefits of the ZiG, businesses continue to suffer under its volatile value.
Retailers like Food World have already begun closing stores in response to the currency crisis, with major chains like OK Zimbabwe, Pick n Pay, and SPAR warning that they could soon follow suit.
The Retailers Association of Zimbabwe (RAZ) has called for real-time exchange rates and governmental support, but Mnangagwa offered no concrete solutions to halt the sector’s downward spiral.
Zimbabwe’s inflation rate remains one of the highest in the world, eroding the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.
Yet Mnangagwa’s speech offered no significant plan to tackle this crisis.
Instead of unveiling a comprehensive economic recovery strategy, he referenced agricultural growth and a potential bumper harvest, deflecting from the immediate and pressing issues of food prices, unemployment, and currency depreciation.
The reality for millions of Zimbabweans is that everyday essentials are becoming unaffordable, and the economic outlook remains bleak.
Mnangagwa’s vague assurances of future prosperity do little to ease the growing sense of despair.
While Mnangagwa praised a projected record wheat harvest and the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Presidential Climate-Proofed Agriculture Production Scheme, critics argue that these promises are disconnected from the realities facing Zimbabweans.
Despite agricultural advances, the broader economy remains in freefall, and no amount of harvests will compensate for a failing currency and shrinking job market.
Mnangagwa’s focus on agriculture and mining investments failed to address the immediate financial struggles of urban dwellers, whose cost of living is steadily rising.
Moreover, his administration has yet to make meaningful headway in curbing corruption, another major drag on economic recovery.
Mnangagwa’s inability to address Zimbabwe’s fundamental economic problems is seen by many as a sign of his administration’s incompetency.
His reliance on deflections, such as blaming sanctions or parallel market activities, rather than acknowledging government mismanagement, demonstrates a lack of leadership in times of crisis.
As businesses close, prices rise, and ordinary citizens bear the brunt of inflation, it is clear that Zimbabwe needs more than empty rhetoric.
Without immediate and effective economic interventions, the country risks further descent into poverty and instability.
Mnangagwa’s SONA left Zimbabweans waiting for real leadership that offers more than just words.