MNANGAGWA’S NEPOTISM IS HURTING ZIMBABWE’S FUTURE

In many countries, the word “nepotism” makes people think of leaders who give important jobs to family members and friends, even if they don’t deserve them. This hurts how the country works and makes people lose trust in the government. Sadly, Zimbabwe is becoming an example of this under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He has been putting his sons and other close people into important government roles. This is making many people worry about Zimbabwe’s future.

One of the most surprising things is that Mnangagwa has made his son, Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, the deputy Finance minister. Another son, Tongai Mnangagwa, is now the Tourism deputy minister. These jobs are very important, but people are asking why they got these roles since they don’t have a big history of doing work that shows they are ready for such positions. Many believe that these appointments are not based on skill or experience, but on family connections. But it’s not just his sons—Mnangagwa has put other family members and friends into key jobs in the government. This is making people think that his government is just a small group of his relatives and close allies.

If we look back, Zimbabwe’s former president, Robert Mugabe, did not put his family into big government jobs as much as Mnangagwa is doing. While Mugabe had a few family members in state jobs, it wasn’t as obvious and frequent as it is now under Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa’s nepotism is even affecting his wife, Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is often seen doing government work even though she doesn’t officially hold a government job. This makes people feel like Mnangagwa’s government is becoming more like a family business than a real government for the people. This behavior is seen in many other countries led by authoritarian leaders who care more about their personal gain than serving the people.

Nepotism causes many problems. First, it raises big questions about fairness and merit. By putting family members into important roles, Mnangagwa is hurting meritocracy, which means giving jobs to people who deserve them based on their skills and hard work. When people without the right qualifications get these jobs, the quality of public services suffers. This can make life harder for the citizens who rely on those services. Second, it makes corruption worse. When government leaders act like they own the country’s resources, it becomes easier for them and their family members to steal from the people. This can lead to more poverty and suffering.

Nepotism can also create political problems. It sends a message that the leader is more interested in keeping power within the family than in making sure the government runs well. This could lead to the creation of a political dynasty where Mnangagwa’s family stays in power for a long time, even if they are not doing a good job. This is bad for the future of the country because it makes it harder for new, qualified leaders to come in and fix the problems.

At the heart of the issue is the idea that a president should focus on making sure the government is run by the best people for the job. This is not happening in Zimbabwe. Instead, Mnangagwa seems to be turning the government into a way to help his family and friends. This is not what the people of Zimbabwe need. They need a government that works for them, not for the president’s family.

Some people may say that it’s okay for family members to work in the government if they are qualified. But even if this is true, the fact that the president is the one giving out these jobs makes it seem like nepotism. This is a common excuse used by dictators around the world to justify putting family members into high positions.

To stop nepotism, some countries have made laws that prevent leaders from giving jobs to their family members. In the United States, there is a law that has been in place since 1967 to stop this from happening. Zimbabwe should think about making similar rules to stop nepotism and make sure that the government is fair for everyone.

Mnangagwa’s nepotism is hurting Zimbabwe and raising big concerns about how the country is being run. It shows that he does not care about fairness or honesty in government. Zimbabweans must push back against this, demanding that jobs go to the right people, not just to the president’s family members. Only then can Zimbabwe have a better future.