Retired Major Dr Anywhere Mutambudzi, Chief Director of Strategic Communications in the Presidential Communications Office of the President and Cabinet in Zimbabwe sparked a social media controversy by sharing the RankingRoyals report on the poorest countries. The report did not include Zimbabwe among the world’s poorest countries.
The report factored in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of various nations. GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced within a country’s borders over a specific period, typically a year. It is often seen as an indicator of an economy’s size and overall health, offering insights into economic activity, productivity, and living standards. However, it’s important to note that GDP alone does not encompass all aspects of an economy, such as income distribution, quality of life, or sustainability. Therefore, it is commonly used alongside other indicators to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
Dr Mutambudzi stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Zimbabwe’s exclusion from the list of poorest nations was due to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s policies. He said:
“If you wish Zimbabwe ill, you will likely review this attachment several times thinking you are missing something. It’s true, Zimbabwe is not on the list of group of countries that are classified as poorest as of 2023. This has been made possible by President @edmnangagwa’s policies of thinking outside the box to improve our collective well-being through homegrown solutions inspired by the philosophy Nyika Inovakwa neVene Vayo, this even in an environment of efforts to strangle the country through sanctions, themself a crime against humanity. It takes strong and visionary leadership in a dog-eat-dog global environment to achieve such a feat.”
