Views of A Citizen

The 30 th of July 2018 shall be remembered by Zimbabweans as an important day in the political and constitutional history of Zimbabwe. This is an historical day Zimbabweans will go to the polls to elect the new leadership of the country with a mandate to exercise political power for the next five years. More significantly,the day marks the first time the ruling ZANU PF party goes to an election without its long serving leader, Mr. Robert Mugabe, following his unceremonious overthrow in a military assisted transition and the subsequent installation of his long time political ally Mr. Emmerson D. Mnangagwa. Equally significant is that the leading opposition political party, the MDC, will also be participating in this election under the stewardship of a new leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, who rose to occupy the much coveted and contested seat of party President, albeit in controversial circumstances, following the passing on of its longtime leader and former Prime Minister in the 20...

The recent revelations by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) regarding alleged abuse of development aid funds disbursed by the organisation to some of the Civil Society Organisations in Zimbabwe raises serious issues regarding the true intention behind the proliferation of these organisations in recent years as well as their accountability in the managements of donor funds. The diversion of funds from the primary objective by those entrusted to administer such funds does not only undermine the primary objectives behind such funding initiatives and the very existence of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) but also put the image of the country into bad perspective, particularly at a time when serious dialogue is needed to move the development agenda of the country forward. The important role of CSOs Society Organisations as a watchdog of the government in its exercise of governmental functions should not be overemphasised. However, one important lesson ...