By Vusumuzi Sifile and John Mokwetsi
ZANU PF’s campaign manifesto launched in Harare on 29 February focuses on the party’s past achievements, confirming opposition claims that the party has run out of fresh ideas to rescue the country from the current economic malaise.
The manifesto centres on the same issues that have been at the core of Zanu PF’s campaign in elections since 2000 — fighting sanctions and British imperialism, indigenisation and reforming agriculture, education, health and mining.
The party is still offering the same unfulfilled promises it made in 2005 and previous elections. In 2005, Zanu PF said by 2008, the government would have built 1 250 000 houses. According to the manifesto, only 7 500 houses were completed under Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle.
The party promised to stabilise the exchange rate and reduce inflation to single digits. At the time, inflation was 237.8%, but it is now 100 580.02%, a world record. The Zimbabwe dollar continues to tumble against major currencies.
The manifesto says the party would assist the poor with school fees. Evidence on the ground is that the exact opposite is the case: state assistance to students at tertiary institutions has been slashed. As a result, many university students cannot fund their studies.
The manifesto, launched amid fanfare in Harare, does not refer to the 2005 promises, but rather to what has been achieved since independence.
In fact, about 20 pages are devoted to "What Zanu PF has done", 43 pages — about half the document — dwell on "West bashing". Some analysts said the only difference between the 2005 election manifesto and the 2008 one is the former had 53 pages and the latter 93.
Presenting the manifesto, President Mugabe admitted most of their previous policies had flopped, resulting in failure to maintain standards.
Vice-President Joseph Msika said some ministers were only good at "rhetoric", their policies not bearing any fruit.
Giving a vote of thanks, Msika singled out Joseph Made, the Minister of Agricultural Mechanisation, whom he told to "interpret your rhetoric into practice".
Zanu PF chairman John Nkomo cautioned party officials against lying to the electorate.
University lecturer and political analyst, John Makumbe, said the manifesto was a clear indication Zanu PF had run out of ideas and had nothing new to offer.
Makumbe said: "What Zanu PF is proposing is more of the same and it will not help this country at all. We need change and not continuity. Zanu PF has no capacity to bring about change... So voters must look for a candidate with better proposals."
The manifesto says "illegal Western sanctions have undermined the economy", and claims the MDC lobbied for sanctions.
John Robertson, an economic analyst says there is no way the sanctions could be blamed, as they were only imposed when the economy was already in a nosedive.
"The West is not to blame, the problems are of our own making," said Robertson. "This is not about sanctions; the situation started deteriorating way before the sanctions. The manifesto does not offer relief because there is no change in policies that are causing this economic damage."
Civic activist, Gorden Moyo said the manifesto was a "glaring failure, not attractive to any investor, voter, businessperson or academic".
"The manifesto is empty... hollow," said Moyo. "They don’t know how to package issues."
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