Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. THIS week has been full of gripping drama from both the Zimbabwean government and Zanu PF.
The government tried to pacify the citizens by discussing the Inga Dam hydro-power plant, while the ongoing Zanu PF annual conference has for the first time exposed how factitious the party presidium is.
Zimbabwe is a country that desperately needs some good news.
It is going through some economic turmoil and the civil servants are always on the edge.
To placate them, the government has come up with a once off Presidential bonus of US$150, paid in two equal instalments starting this November.
“To provide festive season relief and recognise dedicated service, the government will pay a once off Special Presidential Bonus of US$150 for all civil servants, which will be disbursed in two equal instalments in November and December 2025.
“This will be in addition to the regular annual bonus and salaries,” Labour minister Edgar Moyo said.
The new bonus is over and above the annual 13th cheque.
And it carries a good name — Special Presidential Bonus.
I love the politics surrounding the naming of the said bonus.
It creates the fiction that the President is a generous man.
A man so worried about the lifestyle of civil servants that he has to dip his hands into his private stash to bring a smile to the impoverished government workers.
The reality is money has been taken out of the Office of the President and Cabinet budget.
If the budget had been exhausted, which is very likely from the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review statement, it means it could be from unallocated reserve or debt contracted to pacify civil servants.
What is so special about the civil servants?
They are the biggest workforce in the formal sector.
Going on a national strike would break the government.
In other words, the Special Presidential Bonus is a safety valve for the regime.
The Cabinet this week also discussed the Inga Dam, a Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) power project.
The project has a potential to generate 40 000 megawatts of electricity.
It would be by far the biggest hydro-power plant in southern Africa.
The DRC is not yet developed enough to use all this power and it would be sold to the region.
“The project is for the development and implementation of Inga 3 Transmission Lines Project, and promotion of the reinforcement of the existing interconnectors between the DRC, South Africa and partner countries in order to facilitate energy trading of the power generated from the Inga 3 hydropower project,” Cabinet said.
Then comes the bomb: “The project has the capacity to generate 40 000 megawatts of hydropower from the Congo River and necessitates the need to establish a transmission scheme traversing through Zambia, Zimbabwe and/or Botswana (transit countries) to deliver power to South Africa, while the transit countries will have an opportunity to draw power from the scheme,” the Cabinet added.
This is a good regional project, a project that has the potential to spur industrialisation and manufacturing.
Electricity drives out poverty.
Many of our rural and poor urban populations will have more time to do other productive things than fetching firewood or other forms of energy.
People would be able to study in the evening.
This would revolutionarise communities.
However, back to reality.
There is nothing much to celebrate from the project except that it is taking place in our region.
Zimbabwe is a mere transit centre.
Electricity would just pass through on its way to our southern neighbour and regional economic powerhouse, South Africa.
Zimbabwe is playing bridesmaid to the economic wedding of the DRC and South Africa.
For the second time in a decade, Zimbabwe will be playing catch up or begging to be included.
We missed the boat on the Kazungula Bridge, connecting Botswana and Zambia.
This development comes with huge revenue losses from some traffic that will now choose the shorter and less expensive route to the north than Beitbridge border post.
The two feel good stories are a distraction to the country tottering to the brink of political upheaval.
There is instability in Zanu PF over succession.
For the first time, the politburo discussed and responded to the allegations of State capture that was presented by retired general, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
In response, Chiwenga was accused of plotting a coup, failure to appreciate democratic processes and that he is a good candidate for the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.
This is a low blow by any standard.
The response was couched in uncouth language.
It is neither here nor there, the fire is burning in Zanu PF and changes are looming.
Changes that will change the political terrain for another decade.
This is a big issue, but it has been downplayed to keep the semblance of unity and peace.
The other big issue is the subtle manipulation of the Constitution.
In fact, Zanu PF wants to amend the national Constitution to solve its internal problems.
In 2007, it did the same when it amended the Constitution to create harmonised elections.
Harmonised elections created an escape route for unpopular Robert Mugabe to cling on to power for a good decade.
It is clear, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not ready to leave office.
He wants to be there until 2030 despite what the Constitution says.
It is important to ask: What is it he wants to achieve in two years that he failed to do in 10 years?
The only logical thing is: this is a creation of dynasty, entrenchment and consolidation of power.
It is clear that Mnangagwa’s associates are now strategically positioned to succeed him or help him hold on to the throne. Yes, throne.
Remember, he has been touted as King Munhumutapa.
And this king wants to die in office rather than abdicate.
These are the issues that are being clouded by the sideshows.
Zimbabweans should look beyond the sideshows and deal with the real issues or otherwise it will be a circus.
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