Barely three years after pleading with the British government to lift sanctions due to widespread hunger, influential Zimbabwean cleric Andrew Wutawunashe has now declared that there is no hunger in Zimbabwe.
In 2021, Wutawunashe, leading a delegation of preachers including Nehemiah Mutendi and Fidelis Mukonori, urged the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to advocate for the removal of targeted sanctions against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his associates. At the time, Wutawunashe argued that sanctions were devastating the poor and crippling the nation’s infrastructure. “We’re actually troubled for the poor… the sanctions are crippling the poor, they are not tutoring anybody,” he said. Archbishop Welby responded that sanctions relief should benefit only those who do not embezzle public funds.
However, in a striking reversal, Wutawunashe told a SADC Summit breakfast prayer meeting in Masvingo on Thursday that reports of hunger in Zimbabwe are exaggerated. He accused citizens of being “cry-babies” and insisted the country is economically robust. “When people look at Zimbabwe, they are always complaining… it’s not true,” Wutawunashe stated, asserting that Zimbabweans abroad are not economic refugees but skilled workers enriching their host countries.
His comments come at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with one of its worst droughts in living memory, exacerbated by El Nino. The World Food Program estimates that six million Zimbabweans could face food insecurity during the 2024-2025 lean season. Despite this, Wutawunashe, who chairs the Zimbabwe Indigenous Interdenominational Council of Churches (ZIICC), maintained that Zimbabwe is one of the most economically progressive nations in the region.
Critics point out that Wutawunashe’s remarks align with the Zanu PF government’s narrative, which has been known to lavishly reward supportive church leaders. His statement was made during a prayer meeting attended by more than 60 delegates, including Minister of State for Masvingo, Ezra Chadzamira, standing in for Foreign Affairs Minister Frederick Shava.
Wutawunashe’s contradictory statements have sparked a debate about the true state of Zimbabwe’s economy and the impact of government policies on ordinary citizens. As the country prepares to host the 44th SADC Summit in August, the spotlight is on Zimbabwe’s leadership and its ability to navigate these pressing challenges.
