By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | Harare – March 27, 2025 — President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is under intense scrutiny after revelations that school children in Gweru District were being forced to contribute money towards this year’s Independence Day celebrations—despite official claims that the event is fully funded by the state.
A now-disowned directive from the Gweru District Schools Inspector instructed schools to collect up to US$1 per child for the national event. With tens of thousands of learners across the district, the scheme could have funnelled hundreds of thousands of US dollars—directly from the pockets of struggling families—into what critics say is a state vanity project.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has since scrambled to contain the fallout, issuing a statement disowning the move and declaring that “there is no requirement for schools, learners, parents, or community members to contribute financially to these events.” The directive, they added, was “unwarranted” and not sanctioned at any level.
But the damage is done. Critics are laying the blame squarely at the top, accusing Mnangagwa of presiding over a culture of exploitation masquerading as nationalism.
“This scandal is not just about a rogue inspector. This is about a regime that has normalised extracting from the poor to fund its own political theatre,” said one education rights advocate. “The president cannot wash his hands of this. These are his celebrations, and the extortion was done in his name.”
The timing has also raised eyebrows. With Mnangagwa facing mounting public frustration over economic decline, growing authoritarianism, and deepening inequality, the Independence Day spectacle in Gokwe was widely seen as a PR opportunity to shore up waning support. Now, that event risks becoming a symbol of elite excess paid for by Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable.
An investigation has been launched, but civil society organisations are calling for more than just disciplinary action. Many are demanding full transparency, a refund to affected families, and an end to the weaponisation of national events for political gain.
“Taking from children to fund a dictator’s party is not patriotism—it’s theft,” said a parent from Gweru. “Mnangagwa must be held accountable.”
Let me know if you want to push the tone harder or fold in historical context.
