Keeping one party in power for so long is why Zimbabweans are suffering

Zimbabwe is a nation in distress, a country whose potential has been suffocated under the weight of systemic failure.

Many reasons can be offered to explain why it finds itself in such a dire state.

We can point to the unrestrained corruption and looting of national resources, a scourge that has concentrated the country’s wealth in the hands of a privileged few, predominantly within the ruling elite.

We can also cast blame on state institutions—once pillars of governance—that have become so compromised they are incapable of curbing high-level corruption or holding those responsible to account.

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The evidence is stark: a small group of powerful individuals has enriched itself at the expense of millions, casting over 80% of Zimbabweans into abject poverty while less than 1% revel in obscene opulence.

But how did this happen?

How did Zimbabwe sink into such an economic and political mess?

The answer lies not in a single event or a sudden collapse, but in a slow, deliberate process—one made possible by the prolonged dominance of a single political party.

Consider the scale of the rot.

A tiny clique has managed to permeate and cripple every institution of state: law enforcement, the security apparatus, the judiciary, and anti-corruption bodies.

These entities, meant to serve the public, have been rendered toothless, unable to check the powerful or enforce justice.

Beyond governance, this same group has extended its influence into nearly every sector of the economy—fuel importation and supply, mining, transport, and more—ensuring that wealth remains confined to a select few.

Government contracts, which should drive national development, are awarded almost exclusively to individuals connected to this ruling elite, shutting out competition and innovation.

Even the democratic process itself has been undermined.

When Zimbabweans seek to remove this government through peaceful and constitutional means, they find the institutions responsible for elections, law enforcement, and security seemingly captured, their independence eroded by the same powerful hands.

How did such a small group entrench its power so deeply across every facet of Zimbabwean life?

How is it possible for them to have sunk their tentacles into every pocket of the nation?

This is not a feat achieved overnight.

It is not the result of a sudden coup or a fleeting conspiracy.

It is the product of time—decades of unchecked control.

Zimbabwe has had only one political party in power since it attained independence in 1980: ZANU-PF.

For 45 years, this single entity has governed the nation, a tenure long enough to weave its influence into the very fabric of the country.

This longevity is not an achievement to celebrate; it is a liability, a setback that has dragged Zimbabwe into the quagmire it faces today.

The prolonged rule of one party has allowed a small group to consolidate power, dismantle accountability, and prioritize self-interest over the welfare of millions.

It is the root cause of why Zimbabweans are suffering.

Democracy thrives on the rotation of political power, not merely the occasional change of a head of state within the same party—a superficial shift that has already occurred in Zimbabwe—but a complete renewal of government through the rise of a new political party.

This process is not a luxury or a formality; it is an essential mechanism for a nation’s development.

It prevents the stagnation that comes with entrenched power.

It ensures that no single group can monopolize state institutions or the economy indefinitely.

When power changes hands, fresh perspectives emerge, entrenched interests are disrupted, and the risk of systemic corruption diminishes.

New governments bring scrutiny to the actions of their predecessors, compelling accountability where continuity might breed complacency.

This renewal fosters competition—not just in politics, but in ideas, policies, and economic opportunities—lifting the livelihoods of the people rather than serving a narrow elite.

ZANU-PF’s 45-year grip on power has subverted this process entirely.

Over nearly half a century, the party has had ample time to erode the independence of state institutions, turning them into tools of self-preservation rather than servants of the public.

The judiciary, once a bastion of justice, has been softened to favor the powerful.

Law enforcement and security forces, meant to protect citizens, often act as enforcers of the ruling party’s will.

The electoral commission, tasked with ensuring free and fair elections, has faced repeated accusations of bias, undermining trust in the democratic process.

This capture did not happen in a vacuum—it was cultivated over decades, as ZANU-PF entrenched its loyalists in key positions, rewarded allegiance over competence, and silenced dissent.

The result is a system where the powerful operate with impunity, secure in the knowledge that no institution remains strong enough to challenge them.

Economically, the consequences are just as devastating.

A ruling clique with influence over fuel, mining, and transport has choked competition, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation.

Wealth, instead of circulating through a vibrant economy, pools in the hands of a few connected individuals.

Government contracts, which could empower a broad base of businesses and create jobs, are funneled to cronies, often at inflated costs that drain public resources.

This economic stranglehold has pushed Zimbabwe into a cycle of poverty, where over 80% of its people struggle to survive while a tiny fraction live in luxury.

The disparity is not an accident—it is the inevitable outcome of a system designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many, a system sustained by 45 years of uninterrupted rule.

Some might argue that longevity in power reflects stability or popular support, but in Zimbabwe’s case, it is neither.

Stability cannot be claimed when the majority languish in poverty, nor can legitimacy be assumed when democratic institutions are compromised.

ZANU-PF’s endurance is not a testament to its success, but to its ability to manipulate and suppress.

Contrast this with nations that have stronger economies and better living standards—countries like South Korea, Chile, or even Botswana, Zimbabwe’s neighbor.

These nations have not achieved prosperity by clinging to one party for decades.

South Korea, for instance, emerged from authoritarian rule in the late 1980s and embraced democratic transitions, rotating power between parties. This shift broke up entrenched interests, spurred economic reforms, and transformed the country into a global powerhouse within a generation.

Chile, after Pinochet’s dictatorship, alternated between left- and right-leaning governments, each bringing new policies that fueled growth and reduced inequality.

Botswana, often hailed as an African success story, has maintained a competitive multiparty system since independence, with regular elections keeping its leaders accountable and its economy relatively robust.

What sets these countries apart is not just their policies, but their culture of renewal.

Frequent changes in government prevent any single party from growing too comfortable, too powerful, or too corrupt.

No group has the time to capture state institutions or monopolize the economy to the extent seen in Zimbabwe.

When power shifts, vested interests are uprooted, and the system is forced to realign toward the public good rather than the whims of a ruling clique.

In South Korea, for example, the transition to democracy dismantled the cozy relationships between government and chaebols (large conglomerates), opening up opportunities for smaller businesses.

In Chile, alternating governments introduced reforms that balanced market growth with social welfare, lifting millions out of poverty.

Botswana’s multiparty system has kept corruption in check compared to its neighbors, ensuring that diamond wealth benefits the nation rather than a handful of elites.

These examples illustrate a clear truth: economic development and political health depend on the regular renewal of leadership, not the perpetuation of one party’s dominance.

In Zimbabwe, the opposite has occurred.

ZANU-PF’s 45-year reign has allowed it to prioritize its survival over the nation’s progress.

State institutions, rather than serving the people, exist to protect the party’s interests.

The economy, instead of uplifting livelihoods, has been molded to enrich a loyal few.

The result is a sorrowful state: a country rich in resources and potential, yet crippled by poverty, inequality, and despair.

This is not a random misfortune—it is the direct consequence of keeping one political party in power for far too long.

To view ZANU-PF’s longevity as an achievement is to misread history.

It is not a badge of honor, but a burden on the nation.

Forty-five years of unbroken rule has not delivered prosperity, security, or dignity to Zimbabweans—it has delivered suffering.

The solution lies not in tweaking the current system or hoping for reform from within, but in embracing the democratic principle of change.

A new government, untainted by decades of entrenchment, could begin to unravel the web of corruption, restore institutional independence, and redirect resources toward the people.

This is not a naïve dream—it is a proven path, walked by nations that have risen from hardship to strength through the power of renewal.

Zimbabwe’s mess is not inevitable.

It is the product of choices—chief among them, the choice to let one party cling to power for 45 years.

Until that changes, the suffering of millions will persist, a stark reminder that longevity in power is not a virtue, but a vice that strangles a nation’s soul.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/