Many Zimbabweans were surprised when Mthuli Ncube was named “Best African Finance Minister of the Year” despite the country facing economic challenges. Some likened the award to praising a captain steering a ship into an iceberg, while others dubbed it the “greatest joke of the decade.”
Zimbabwe grapples with an 85% unemployment rate, forcing 80% of transactions to occur in US dollars due to low confidence in the local currency. Reputation Poll International awarded Ncube on Sunday, stating it recognizes the Treasury team’s efforts in transforming the economy.
However, critics, like activist Hopewell Chin’ono, called the award an “insult” to Zimbabweans. Chin’ono criticized Ncube’s recent budget, deemed the “most anti-people national budget,” increasing taxes and passport fees to $200.
Zimbabwe’s economy, plagued for decades, faces challenges blamed on mismanagement by the ruling Zanu-PF party.