Corruption and the Comrades: Mugabe and the “Fight” against Corruption in Zimbabwe, 1980–2013

Abstract

General narratives, and more specifically scholarly work, on Zimbabwe’s crisis have largely centered on Mugabe’s role in its manufacture, especially his land reform and, in turn, his relationship with the Western countries as a result thereof. At home, state media often present Mugabe as a protector of ‘African” values especially his no-nonsense stance toward issues such as homosexuality and lesbianism and yet very little has been written concerning one issue that he personally appears to have had problems dealing with from a historical perspective—corruption. At present, Zimbabwe stands among countries most affected by graft. Utilizing various case studies from the 1980s to the present, this chapter examines how and why the all-powerful leader seems to freeze in the face of corrupt activities involving some of his lieutenants and the impact this has had on the generality of Zimbabweans. It also discusses popular conceptions of corruption and how Mugabe has managed to coexist with obscene wealth and naked corruption since independence despite an earlier commitment to ZANU-PF’s Leadership Code. The chapter concludes that Mugabe’s continued association with and tolerance of politicians implicated in acts of grand corruption is part of an intricate power retention matrix.