Multitudes of Zimbabweans have registered their dissatisfaction on the State of the Nation address that was delivered by President Mugabe yesterday.
The address which pinned hopes on the Look East Policy has been widely described as a non-convincing and meaningless by scores of Zimbabweans who are wallowing in poverty as a result of government’s failed economic policies.
263Chat went around asking people’s perceptions on state of the nation address.
A citizen who requested anonymity felt that the address should have included compensation for the workers who were recently fired using the July 17 Supreme Court ruling.
“Mr. President should have said something about jobs especially those who have lost them, stating how they will recover them,” he said.
Another resident identified as Alson Phiri said, “The address was a summary of what we have read in the papers last year. It was just an excuse visit to parliament by the president.”
Elmeda Phiri, a resident of Damafalls Park, Ruwa said she regrets tuning her radio and listening to the address.
“I regret tuning into this address, it was like I am reading ZIMASSET and listening to a ZBC news bulletin and it looks like we have signed everything to China,” she said.
Pedzisayi Ruhanya, the Director of Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) questioned the president’s address saying it was part of Mugabe’s slogan which he calls ‘new strategy to revive the economy’.
“The 10-point economic plan which includes infrastructure, agriculture, benificiation, mining, energy that you underpin your ‘new strategy to revive the economy’ are part of the critical canons of the failed ZIMASSET economic slogan Mr President. So what was your State of the Nation address about sir? Queried the ZDI boss.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Highfield West constituency, Psychology Maziwisa applauded the state of the nation address, describing it as formidable.
“Despite protestations to the contrary by members of the opposition MDC-T, President Robert Mugabe delivered one of his most formidable state of the nation addresses yesterday,” writes Maziwisa on his Facebook page.
He added that, President Mugabe entrenched his position as a socialist leader and outlined a series of practical policy announcements which formed the foundation for an inevitable economic take off.
“President Mugabe did not just go to Parliament to tell the people of Zimbabwe that he was aware of their plight. He went to tell them that he was doing something about their challenges.
“Of course the MDC-T being in opposition will have a thing or two to say against President Mugabe’s speech, but i dare say that Zimbabweans got the point yesterday – that President Mugabe is a leader who is on their side,” he said will posting on his Facebook page.
