The May 1 International Workers Day in Zimbabwe shone a harsh light on the conditions of the people of Zimbabwe, with intensifying demands from public sector workers to be paid properly and to keep up with high inflation. While the Mnangagwa government projected an absurdly optimistic picture, its message that Zimbabwe is on its own, must rely mainly on its own people, resonated. Data now shows that remittances from the Diaspora are the main source of foreign exchange. Economic aid continues to trickle in while at the same time the USA and UK maintain a hard diplomatic line against the government. However, the opposition force mainly benefiting from the US and British pressure – the MDC Alliance – continues to fragment, be torn by internal competitions, and lose more members back to ZANU-PF.
Zimbabwe Information Centre, Australia
May 8, 2021
