One year on: What has changed for Zimbabwe post Mugabe?

Harare, Zimbabwe – A year ago, with Zimbabwe‘s longtime ruler Robert Mugabe out of the picture, the troubled African country seemed to have taken a turn for the better. Now, we can’t even buy clothes.” Munyaradzi Mufambi, a 22-year-old beverage merchandiser in the capital, said the last year had been disillusioning for him. Maybe he just hasn’t communicated these plans to the nation.” Mufambi, like Zhakata, said the standards of living were much better under Mugabe. I now buy second-hand clothing.” Promises and ‘lies’ Ibbo Mandaza, a respected academic and director of a local think-tank Sapes Trust, said Mnangagwa’s first year as president had been a total failure. Never in the history of Africa has any president failed in one year as he has failed.” Clampdown on dissent Mnangagwa’s pledge to break with his predecessor’s past autocratic policies and tactics, and introduce far-reaching reforms in the realms of business and safeguarding fundamental rights, has so far been a pipe dream for many Zimbabweans.