Today I read that African states had pledged around US$400 million for the rebuilding of the Zimbabwean economy, whilst England pledged £15 million (about US$12 million)…

This is not small amounts of money, but - and it has to be said - much of it is dependent upon the ‘inclusive’ government making big strides forward in managing the comatose economy and doing something to repair the Zimbabwean people’s plight.

Time and experience has shown the free world that aid monies should not be released directly to the Mugabe government as much of it never gets to the intended recipient or worse the mony is transferred into useless Zimbabwean currency, whilst the aid money is used elsewhere.

Much improvement has to be shown by the unity government in their bid to resuscitate the economy but with Mugabe in the wings trying to govern the money, an eagle eye will have to be cast upon him 24/7 to prevent any attempts at subterfuge.

The Zimbabwean government has shelved their own currency for at least a year and now the people are obliged to survive on the difficult-to-secure currencies of South Africa, Botswana, the US and the UK.

Mugabe and his cohorts are aware of the need the country has for the lifeblood foreign currency but that hasn’t stopped them from squirreling away millions of various denominations in numbered bank accounts the proceeds of many illicit deals and much skullduggery.

Mugabe, as President, enjoys an advantageous rate when purchasing foreign currency, and thinks nothing of purchasing thousands upon thousands of the valuable commodity to allow his family to embark on jaunts to the Far East - the foreign currency paid for with useless Zimbabwean dollars.

By ensuring that the MDC now has control of the finance ministry, Mugabe will be able to point accusatory fingers at them when the economy doesn’t get revived, when the much-needed aid does not arrive from foreign shores - primarily because of his continued involvement in government.

It is also worthy of mention that an anticipated audit of the Reserve Bank’s activities in recent years has been blocked by Mugabe. Why?

His continued unilateral decisions irk the ostensibly ‘power-sharing’ coalition between ZANU PF and the MDC, with the MDC’s objections being laughed out of the halls of power - as ZANU PF sees nothing wrong with his style of governance.

ZANU PF continue to imprison people, abduct MDC activists at will, and then take ages to process any court process - mainly because there is nothing to prove!Mugabe claims that there are no political prisoners in Zimbabwe.

How about the millions of Zimbabweans that find themselves trapped in Mugabeville, unable to leave, and unable to provide adequately for their families? Are they not political prisoners?

Compound that with the fact that Mugabe has ignored the will of the people, and we have a situation where Mugabe is intent on pursuing his own agenda, regardless of ‘what the people want’ (a political byline from many years ago).

So, more than ever, it is important for the countries providing aid, monitor who is in control of said monies and/or goods, to ensure that they are not used for political edge, but for the betterment of the population as a whole (or should that be ‘hole’?).

Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man