PROFESSOR MUGANO, THE BIBLE, AND THE POLITICS OF SURVIVAL
I am a political activist who has spent years opposing ZANU PF rule because it has failed ordinary people. That is why I read Professor Gift Mugano’s latest statement with deep interest and concern. Mugano is a well known Zimbabwean economics professor whose public views have moved many times. At different moments he sounded neutral, then strongly critical of government policy, and now openly supportive in what he calls a constructive way. This shift has placed him under heavy public scrutiny.
Some people praise him for being mature and patriotic. Others accuse him of changing positions to suit his interests or protect his career. Mugano now says he will support government policies when they are right and criticise them when they are wrong, guided by facts and national development. On paper, this sounds reasonable. In reality, context matters, especially in a country ruled by a party that does not tolerate dissent.
Mugano claims he has moved on and now sees himself as the Daniel and Joseph of today. He says constant questions forced him to explain where he stands and that his actions will now speak for him. He uses the Bible to justify working with power. Daniel, he says, served many kings and used wisdom to help government. Joseph served under Potiphar and helped Egypt prepare for disaster. Mugano says he is inspired by these stories, though he admits he is not equal to them spiritually.
He goes further and says his past criticism was his Saul moment, followed by a Damascus experience. He says he is now Paul and will never return to his old ways. For many citizens, this language is troubling. Zimbabwe is not the Bible, and ZANU PF is not ancient Egypt or Babylon. It is a modern political system accused of corruption, repression, and economic collapse over decades.
Mugano lists what he calls positive strides by the government. He praises macroeconomic stability under the Reserve Bank, growth in mining with record gold output, expansion in construction and road works, progress in agriculture, strong foreign currency generation, and the rise of steel production through a major Chinese investment. These claims are not new. They are often repeated by officials while people struggle to survive.
Yes, there are pockets of activity. But statistics mean little when hospitals have no medicine, young people have no jobs, and poverty keeps spreading. Mugano himself admits fiscal pressure, debt, unemployment, drug abuse, and poor health indicators remain serious problems. These are not small side issues. They define daily life for millions.
As activists, we must ask a simple question. Can honest advice truly exist under a government that punishes critics and rewards praise? Working with the government of the day may sound practical, but history shows that many experts who tried this path ended up silent or compromised.
Zimbabwe needs truth more than comfort. It needs voices that speak clearly even when it is dangerous. Biblical stories should not be used to excuse political surrender. If Professor Mugano wants respect, he must show independence in action, not just words. Supporting good policy is fine, but never at the cost of justice, accountability, and the suffering of the people.
Silence dressed as wisdom has destroyed this nation before. Academics are not priests of power, but servants of society. When experts choose safety over truth, citizens pay the price. Zimbabwe’s future depends on courage, not accommodation. History will judge who stood with the people and who stood with authority when it mattered most. The struggle continues, and excuses will not feed families or heal broken communities today.
