HARARE – United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont has warned that Zimbabwe’s shrinking civic space, controversial legal reforms, and persistent corruption are major barriers to investment and economic recovery.
Speaking during an interview on The CITE View, a weekly current affairs programme hosted by Zenzele Ndebele, Ambassador Tremont emphasised that Zimbabwe’s economic prosperity hinges on the strength of its democratic institutions.
“We remain concerned about certain issues – the shrinking civic space, the passage of the PVO Bill, which we believe does not align with international best practices for regulating private voluntary organisations, and corruption, which appears to be worsening according to Transparency International,” Tremont said.
She added that the arbitrary detention of journalists further compounds investor fears, warning that such actions damage Zimbabwe’s reputation on the international stage. “These are the kinds of things that raise concerns for investors looking at Zimbabwe,” Tremont noted.
Her remarks come as pressure mounts over the ongoing detention of Heart & Soul TV journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who has spent 63 days in remand prison. Mhlanga was arrested after HStv broadcast a press conference by war veteran Blessed Geza, who called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation. His continued incarceration has sparked international outrage, with the United Kingdom’s Lord Jonny Oates raising the case in the British Parliament and urging the UK government to maintain pressure on Zimbabwean authorities.
Civil society organisations have also condemned the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Act, labelling it a tool to suppress dissent and curtail fundamental freedoms.
Turning to Zimbabwe’s efforts to clear its international debt, Ambassador Tremont expressed cautious optimism. She said the United States supports Zimbabwe’s Structured Dialogue process aimed at resolving arrears and re-engaging with creditors.
“Some reforms have been proposed and agreed to by the Zimbabwean government. We are keen to see real progress on those reforms so that the economy can be put back on track,” Tremont said.
Zimbabwe’s external debt is estimated at approximately US$21 billion, barring it from accessing fresh credit lines from key institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB). In response, Harare launched the Structured Dialogue Platform in 2022, led by the AfDB, to negotiate comprehensive debt relief.
As part of these efforts, Zimbabwe entered discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is expected to begin a Staff-Monitored Programme (SMP) in 2025. The SMP is designed to support economic reforms, clear arrears, and restore confidence among international lenders — a critical step toward unlocking much-needed financing.
Despite these initiatives, diplomatic voices like Tremont’s suggest that unless Zimbabwe demonstrates tangible progress in governance reforms and respect for human rights, economic re-engagement will remain a challenging prospect.
