ZIMBABWE WAS NEVER BORN TO COME LAST

Once upon a time, Zimbabwe was one of the strongest countries in Africa. We had working factories. We had many jobs. We had good roads and working hospitals. We had banks that people trusted. We had food in shops, and our money had value. Only South Africa was ahead of us in the region. We were number two. That was something to be proud of.

But today, we are number five. And instead of fixing things, the government is busy celebrating this fall. They are happy to say Zimbabwe is now the fifth-largest economy in the region, after South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are quoting figures from the IMF to try and make it sound like progress.

But this is not progress. This is not something to clap for. These are just numbers, and even the numbers show we are falling behind. What happened to being number two? Why are we not asking what went wrong? Why are we not angry?

The leaders are using these new GDP numbers like a trophy. But the people of Zimbabwe are not feeling the benefits. There is still no clean water in many areas. Power cuts are still a problem. Many people have no jobs. Hospitals have no medicines. Schools have no books. Nurses and teachers are running away from the country to look for better lives.

If the economy is growing, why is life getting harder? Why are more people going to South Africa, Botswana, and even Rwanda just to survive? Why is the local money losing value every month? Why are we paying in US dollars when we have our own currency?

The truth is, this is not real growth. It is fake. It is paper growth. The rich are getting richer. The poor are getting poorer. The people in power do not feel our pain. They live in nice houses, eat nice food, and send their children to schools outside the country. They do not wait in fuel queues. They do not go to Parirenyatwa Hospital. They do not drink dirty water.

But they want us to be happy with number five. They want us to forget where we came from. They want us to believe we are doing well. But we know the truth. We see it every day in our homes, in our pockets, and in our hearts.

A real government listens to the people. A real leader tells the truth. A real country fixes problems and does not hide behind numbers. We must stop this fake celebration. We must stop clapping for failure. Zimbabwe was never born to come last.

This country has smart people. It has land. It has minerals. It has sunshine. It has everything to win. But bad leadership has taken us down. And now the same people want to act like they are winning.

We must wake up. We must speak up. We must remember the Zimbabwe we used to know. The Zimbabwe that worked. The Zimbabwe that gave us hope. Not this one where pain is normal, and lies are praised.

We cannot build a future on fake smiles and fake numbers. We must face the truth. We must ask hard questions. And we must fight for better.

Zimbabwe was not born to celebrate being number five. We were meant to lead. We were meant to shine. And one day, we will again. But only if we stop accepting lies and start demanding change