President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s latest gesture offering duty-free vehicle imports, residential stands and increased allowances to councillors has been described as “transformative” and “people-centred.”
But the glaring question that remains unanswered is: which people? Because it is certainly not the ordinary Zimbabwean.
We do not dispute that councillors play an important role in local governance. However, singling them out for such privileged benefits in a nation where millions struggle to afford basic commodities seems tone-deaf at best and dangerously elitist at worst.
At a time when hospitals lack bandages, when civil servants are paid in part for groceries and when rural school children walk 10 kilometres to class, why is the government prioritising luxury perks for elected officials?
The reality on the ground is harsh. The majority of Zimbabweans cannot afford to import a vehicle, let alone pay the duty required.
Meanwhile, government officials and councillors are now being granted exemptions to bring in cars freely, at a time when public transport is in crisis and our roads are riddled with potholes. This is not a people-centred policy.
It is a policy that centres around political elites.
Every decision made by the President and his government should reflect the interests of all Zimbabweans, not just those in government corridors. Policies must be inclusive. What about the teacher in Mutoko who earns less than US$200 a month?
What about the nurse in Gwanda who has no fuel to get to work? Should they not be equally entitled to duty-free vehicle schemes or residential stands? Are they not the backbone of this nation?
What Zimbabweans are asking for is fairness. If the country can afford to let 2,000 councillors import vehicles duty-free, surely it can afford to do the same for every citizen including the small-scale farmers and informal traders.
Let us not forget that these are the citizens who have kept this economy alive in the absence of industry and foreign investment.
There is a growing sense that government policies are no longer reflective of the people’s aspirations. Vision 2030 is a commendable goal, but it cannot be built on a foundation that excludes the majority.
True transformation must be inclusive. Development must be shared. Leadership must serve beyond the party faithful.
To truly win the hearts of Zimbabweans, President Mnangagwa must extend his so-called “Wisdomic Extraordinaire” to the common man. We all deserve a chance to import a vehicle without being crushed by ZIMRA duty. We all deserve affordable housing. We all deserve to feel like citizens, not spectators in our own country.
Leadership is not about uplifting a few, it is about lifting everyone together. Until such inclusive policies are adopted, many Zimbabweans will continue to feel left behind. And when citizens feel excluded, they lose trust.
Mr President, Zimbabwe is watching. And Zimbabwe is asking, what about the rest of us?
Every Zimbabwean should import vehicle duty FREE, we are all Zimbabweans and all equal.
