By A Correspondent
Critics blast government’s “archives showcase” as disconnected from Zimbabwe’s everyday realities
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to officially open the 2025 Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Council on Archives (ESARBICA) Conference in Victoria Falls this Wednesday — a high-level event that critics say reflects government misaligned priorities at a time of deepening domestic crises.
The 28th edition of the regional gathering, which began on Sunday and runs through next week, brings together archival professionals from across Eastern and Southern Africa. While officials tout the event as a platform to “strengthen international relations” and promote Zimbabwe as a “leading tourism destination,” observers argue that it amounts to little more than a ceremonial distraction from pressing socio-economic challenges.
“The irony is hard to miss,” said a Harare-based historian. “We’re hosting a lavish archives conference while our own institutions are crumbling under years of underfunding, neglect, and politicisation. This is not a triumph — it’s a façade.”
Although the conference agenda includes discussions on digitisation, sustainability, and artificial intelligence in archives management, critics point out the stark disconnect between the event’s ambitious themes and the state of public information systems in Zimbabwe, many of which remain paper-based, under-resourced, and inaccessible to the public.
“There’s a lot of talk about modernising archives, but the average Zimbabwean can’t even access basic public records,” said an NGO official who monitors information transparency. “This is yet another elite event staged for optics while the public service continues to deteriorate.”
President Mnangagwa is expected to deliver a keynote speech focused on digital transformation and governance — themes that stand in contrast to his administration’s poor record on transparency, freedom of information, and digital rights. Under his rule, journalists and researchers continue to face barriers in accessing official documents, while whistleblowers are routinely harassed.
“Talking about AI and digitisation is laughable when journalists still have to fight for birth records or court files,” said a media rights advocate. “It’s not about archives — it’s about control.”
Analysts also question the real economic impact of the conference, which government sources claim could boost tourism and attract investment. However, such claims remain unverified, and critics argue that the cost of hosting high-profile delegates — likely funded through strained public resources — offers little benefit to ordinary citizens.
“Victoria Falls will shine for a week, but what happens after the cameras leave?” asked one economist. “This is state-sponsored theatre, not sustainable development.”
While the conference may offer professional value to archivists, for many Zimbabweans, it’s yet another example of a government more invested in international image-making than real reforms. As the ruling elite gathers in luxury, ordinary citizens continue to face power cuts, unpaid wages, and eroded public services — archived, perhaps, for future study in how not to govern.