Once a breadbasket, Zimbabwe now depending on handouts

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I find it extremely disturbing and disheartening for my beloved country Zimbabwe, to continue sliding downhill due to poor governance and lack of care. Zimbabwe, once known as the breadbasket of Africa, now depends on other countries or charities for survival.

It seems that the Zanu-PF led Government fails to acknowledge the extreme poverty it continues to cause, which is hindering access to any opportunities of improving people’s livelihood and taking control of their future. Extreme poverty in Zimbabwe is causing all possible detrimental effects on all people ranging from various ages or genders and people are desperately poor within Zimbabwe, living in some of the worst conditions possible.

Poor infrastructures, lack of access to clean water or adequate sanitation and lack of access to crucial medication. Hence, the easy transmission of deadly, life-threatening and serious infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea. Skyrocketing unemployment levels, lack of basic services, poor incomes hindering fundamental education levels, reasonable living conditions, starvation, malnutrition, violence, and child labour.

It is so disheartening that many children are losing their lives before reaching adolescence, while the adults are losing their lives before reaching middle age. President Emmerson Mnangagwa should establish new ways of reforming the dire economy and allow his fellow citizens to enjoy their country also. He should resign if he is unable to make Zimbabwe the breadbasket of Africa again. Out of desperation, Zimbabweans continue to leave the country at every given opportunity to other overburdened countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

BEVERLEY MUTANDIRO

Human Rights Activist