By A Correspondent |

HARARE — In a flashy campaign graphic published by ZANU PF Mashonaland West Province this week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promises to make Zimbabwe “Africa’s Breadbasket Again.” Yet beneath the glossy propaganda lies a harsh and unrelenting reality: since Mnangagwa’s emergence on the political scene in the late 1970s, Zimbabwe’s agricultural and economic systems have not only failed to recover — they have plummeted into chronic collapse.

The latest poster, emblazoned with the slogan “Zimbabwe will be Africa’s Breadbasket Again”, features Mnangagwa donning a clerical-looking coat and cap, projecting himself as a visionary. It reads, “We are ensuring that our endeavours across the various sectors of the economy are contributing to the attainment of Vision 2030.” However, for many Zimbabweans and global observers alike, this declaration is not only misleading — it’s a revisionist delusion that defies decades of lived evidence.

From Breadbasket to Basket Case: The Historical Freefall

In 1976, under international sanctions, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) was ranked by the United Nations World Book as the second-fastest growing agricultural economy globally — trailing only the United States in several key produce categories. The country exported wheat, maize, cotton, beef, and tobacco in surplus. Yet, this trajectory was violently derailed after independence and worsened by internal sabotage.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, who joined the liberation struggle in 1977 not as a field commander but as a Special Branch infiltrator, has been widely accused of being a disruptive force. Former First Lady Grace Mugabe publicly declared that Mnangagwa “killed and liquidated” his own comrades, a claim echoed in the 2019 press conference held by Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association leaders, who accused him of betrayal and being “a fake revolutionary.”

His involvement in internal ZANLA purges and manipulation of wartime intelligence has never been denied, let alone challenged credibly.

The Gold Mafia Revelation: A Criminal at the Helm?

Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia documentary (2023) further shredded any illusions of Mnangagwa’s credibility as a nation builder. The investigation presented compelling allegations linking him and his close associates to massive gold smuggling operations, money laundering, and the illegal externalization of national wealth.

In the documentary, his ambassador-at-large Uebert Angel and his own niece Henrietta Rushwaya were caught facilitating multimillion-dollar deals with undercover reporters, claiming to operate under “Presidential approval.” One key source referred to Mnangagwa as “the boss of the gold,” while others described Zimbabwe as his personal “ATM.”

Rather than rebuilding agriculture, Mnangagwa’s regime has converted national assets into personal loot. Vast tracts of land, once productive commercial farms, now lie fallow or have been distributed among political cronies with no agricultural output to show for it.

Failed Promises and Fabricated Visions

Mnangagwa’s “Vision 2030” is a vague document filled with rhetoric but devoid of measurable recovery markers. Instead of reversing food imports, Zimbabwe has become one of the largest importers of basic staples in Southern Africa.

As of 2024:

• Over 70% of basic grains are imported, largely from South Africa and Zambia.
• Food insecurity affects more than 5 million Zimbabweans, according to the World Food Programme.
• Agricultural subsidies benefit elite beneficiaries instead of struggling rural farmers.
• The Command Agriculture program, lauded by ZANU PF, was exposed for rampant corruption with billions unaccounted for.

Destruction by Design? A Spy’s Legacy

The real question raised by many is whether Mnangagwa was ever intended to build Zimbabwe — or dismantle it. Critics suggest that his record, dating back to his days as a Special Branch operative, shows a clear pattern: divide, dominate, and destabilize. Whether in the bush war, during Gukurahundi, or in post-2017 Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa has consistently operated from the shadows of brutality and deception.

His unchallenged legacy now includes:

• The 1980s Gukurahundi massacres, which he orchestrated as Minister of State Security.
• The destruction of state institutions, including the Reserve Bank and parastatals.
• The plundering of national resources, as evidenced in gold, diamonds, and fuel sectors.

No Harvest from a Poisoned Soil

The poster claiming Zimbabwe will be a breadbasket again is not a promise — it is a psychological gaslight. After more than four decades of ZANU PF rule, with Mnangagwa as a central player, the nation has witnessed only decay.

To speak of a return to abundance under the same man who presided over the worst years of scarcity is to insult the intelligence of Zimbabweans.

A true breadbasket requires truth, justice, land reform with equity, farmer empowerment, and accountable leadership — none of which Mnangagwa has delivered, or intends to.

END.