By A Correspondent
Information and Communication Technology Minister Tatenda Mavetera is under scrutiny after she distributed goats to villagers in Matabeleland South on May Day, a move critics have labeled as a political bribe aimed at boosting support for the ruling party and its leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mavetera, a staunch Mnangagwa loyalist and leader of the pro-Zanu PF Young Women 4ED group, made the donation during a public event at Mhlabangubo School in Tsholotsho South, where she handed out 200 goats to community members under the guise of an “empowerment” initiative.
“Yesterday was a special day for us at Young Women for Economic Development,” Mavetera said in a statement. “We were at Mhlabangubo School in Tsholotsho South, Mat North, where we distributed 200 goats, marking the final phase of our initial nationwide empowerment program.”
She went on to praise the effort as part of a broader development initiative, noting: “During the course of the initiative we have empowered young women through sustainable livelihoods in goat rearing, pig farming, and rabbitry.”
While Mavetera framed the event as part of a legitimate economic development program, political analysts and opposition figures argue the gesture was little more than vote-buying in a region long neglected by the central government. The timing and symbolism—on Workers’ Day—only intensified the criticism.
“This Workers’ Day, we did more than just remember the workers and heroes like Benjamin Burombo and Ubaba Dr. Joshua Nkomo,” she added. “We honored hardworking young women Zimbabweans by investing in their future. Agriculture is wealth, and empowerment is freedom.”
Observers, however, say Mavetera’s gesture reflects a growing trend within Zanu PF of using state-aligned resources and politically branded groups to maintain loyalty in rural areas. “You can call it empowerment, but it’s clear this is a political transaction,” said one civil society leader in Bulawayo. “These so-called donations come with expectations of allegiance, especially in an election-sensitive climate.”
Mavetera ended her statement by expressing gratitude to those involved: “I am grateful to all who made this possible. The journey continues.”
As the economic crisis deepens and pressure mounts on Mnangagwa’s administration, critics warn that patronage-driven programs like these only entrench inequality and undermine genuine development efforts.