The former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Professor Arthur Mutambara says the African continent needs new leadership. Professor Mutambara was speaking during a book launch in Johannesburg.
This comes as Zimbabwe is preparing to go to the polls in August.
Zimbabwe’s former prime minister was frank in pointing out the problems in Africa.
“In my book I explain why the gold mafia takes place. Why the Moody. I explain why the farms people in Zimbabwe have title deeds. The gold mafia is the manifestation of what is wrong with our continent because it is about the illicit flows. It is about the resources coming from Africa to the west without benefiting our people. Yet it was Zimbabwean affair but ostensible problem of illicit flows is all over the continent,” says Mutambara.
Turning to his country which is preparing for elections, he was equally forthright.
“The current government is incompetent. The current government is corrupt. The current government is a product of a coup de tat. It is Illegitimate because it is foundationally built on a coup d’état. We need a new government that is democratic that is fairly elected. That is competent. That is wanted in Zimbabwe and that government must have a national vision,” Mutambara adds.
Those who attended the book launch expressed similar sentiments.
“The inherent weaknesses of the arrangement. The lack of dispute mechanism to deal with the many conflicts. The other issues was the failure of the opposition,” An attendee says.
“There is nothing wrong with our continent. It has beautiful rivers, hills mountains, trees, beautiful. Our problem is leadership. That is the heart of our continent and it is not just leadership because you can have leadership anyway. Leadership has to be transformative,” another Attendee adds.
Zimbabwe, which is struggling with an economic crisis, will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the 23rd of August. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is seeking a second term.
The gold mafia is a manifestation of what’s wrong with Africa: Prof. Arthur Mutambara:
