By A Correspondent
As hospitals across Zimbabwe face critical shortages of essential medications, Zanu PF has drawn attention for its lavish spending on party infrastructure, diverting public funds to build a 10,000-seater conference center, lodges, and new administrative offices in Masvingo.
The announcement came on Monday when Zanu PF Masvingo province revealed plans to construct a massive conference facility, complete with new offices and accommodation for party officials.
The extravagant project is being funded by state resources, despite the country’s growing healthcare crisis. The building materials for the project were donated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa through his special advisor, Dr. Paul Tungwarara, with the official handover conducted by Honorable Ezra Chadzamira, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province.
The donation of construction materials—600 bags of cement, 10,000 bricks, roofing materials, window panes, and door frames—was delivered to the Zanu PF Masvingo provincial leadership, including Provincial Chairman Senator Robson Mavhenyengwa. The new administrative offices and conference center, to be located in Clovelly along the Masvingo-Bulawayo road, will serve as a hub for major Zanu PF events and will reportedly improve the party’s organizational capacity.
Despite the government’s continuous promises to prioritize healthcare, Zimbabwe’s hospitals are grappling with severe shortages of critical medicines and medical supplies. Doctors and healthcare workers have repeatedly raised alarm about the dire situation, with many essential drugs unavailable, and patients suffering as a result.
In stark contrast, the ruling party’s commitment to constructing lavish infrastructure at the expense of public health is raising concerns over the misuse of state funds.
National Secretary for Finance of the Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association (CZLWVA), Muteuri Madovi, emphasized the importance of the new conference center in advancing the party’s administrative needs, claiming it will “enhance party organs and affiliates’ administration.”
However, critics argue that the priority given to building a grand political facility highlights the government’s misplaced priorities, especially while basic public services such as healthcare continue to decline.
The controversial use of state funds for party infrastructure comes at a time when Zimbabweans are struggling to access even the most basic healthcare services.
Hospitals are frequently turning away patients due to a lack of medications for conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and high blood pressure. Many Zimbabweans are now forced to seek private healthcare or cross borders to neighboring countries for treatments that should be available locally.
The construction of the Zanu PF conference center and offices in Masvingo raises questions about the accountability of government spending and the ethics of using public resources to serve the interests of a political party.
While Zanu PF celebrates its new administrative capabilities, citizens continue to endure the devastating effects of an underfunded and overburdened healthcare system.
In the face of mounting criticism, Zanu PF’s focus on party development, while public health collapses, reflects a disturbing trend of prioritizing political gain over the well-being of ordinary Zimbabweans. With the ruling party’s priorities under scrutiny, many are left wondering how much longer the government can justify such lavish spending while essential services fall into disarray.