By David Himbara
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has found himself a coach — Rwanda’s head of state Paul Kagame. Mnangagwa is not only determined to learn from Kagame about economic development, the Zimbabwean president is keen to deepen trade and investment cooperation. This is an irony of ironies. There is no single economic indicator in which Rwanda outperforms Zimbabwe. Kagame is the biblical blind guide leading another blind man into a pit.
What is Mnangagwa smoking?
Mnangagwa is sending his team to Kigali on March 24 — 26, 2020 to deepen trade and investment relations between Rwanda and Zimbabwe. What is Mnangagwa smoking? Despite its economic decline during the past two decades, Zimbabwe outperforms Rwanda in every sense. Take a look at the main economic indicators of the two countries.
Zimbabwe is a middle-income economy with a GDP per capita of US$2,147, which is nearly three times larger than Rwanda’s GDP per capita of US$772. Zimbabwe is categorized as a middle-income economy; Rwanda is low-income. Zimbabwe’s economy of US$31 billion GDP is three times than Rwanda’s at US$9.5 billion. Zimbabwe attracts double the amount of foreign direct investment that receives. Rwanda is heavily dependent on foreign aid receiving US$1.2 billion annually, while Zimbabwe hardly receives foreign aid.
I am reminded of Matthew 24:24 in the Bible
The verse reminds us that ”false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” This perfectly captures the story of Kagame and Emmerson Mnangagwa.
