Zanu-PF Engages Stakeholders in Sharp Policy Shift
Zanu-PF spokesman Rugare says the party will not repeat mistakes of the past of not engaging stakeholders.
WASHINGTON DC — President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party jolted by the worsening social and economic problems facing the country has vowed to shift its commandist policy to engagement in an attempt to steady the ship and win people’s confidence. After its landslide victory, Zanu-PF is saddled with worsening water and electricity problems, declining industrial production, unemployment and an international community that has rejected the party’s election victory questioning its credibility. The party Politiburo is spearheading the shift in policy to try and engage the international community and local stakeholders in various sectors of the economy. Cabinet ministers have been meeting stakeholders and the electorate discussing ways of ending the social and economic problems facing the country. But economist Godfrey Kanyenze of the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute says Zanu-PF must also reach out to the opposition movement for democratic change which has rejected the outcome of the election, claiming it was rigged. Mr. Kanyenze said MDC has a broad support base and must be engaged. Zanu-PF spokesman Rugare said the party will not repeat mistakes of the past of not engaging stakeholders. “It’s necessary that we get the support and the views of the people before we embark on certain policies. We may have general ideas of what we want to achieve but we have to talk to the people involved,” said Mr. Gumbo. Political analyst and International Crisis Group senior researcher Trevor Maisiri said the party has no choice except to engage.