Tinotenda Hove – THE Second Republic put on another ceremony yesterday as President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially launched the African Peer Review Mechanism at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, promising “governance reforms” while Zimbabweans continue to struggle with poverty, corruption and collapsing services.

Speaking at the launch, President Mnangagwa claimed his administration was “ready to continually evolve” and that the APRM would bring accountability.

“The Second Republic is ready to continually evolve, in line with the needs and national interest of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe,” he said.

But critics say the launch changes nothing on the ground. With hospitals without drugs, power cuts, and a cost-of-living crisis, many see the APRM as just another report that will gather dust.

“As Zimbabwe, we stand ready to share our experiences, innovations and successful models with fellow Member States of the African Union,” President Mnangagwa told guests.

Opposition voices questioned what “successful models” he was referring to. Zimbabwe voluntarily joined the APRM in February 2020, but six years later key governance problems remain unresolved.

The President insisted the review showed his government was “people-centred”.

“The acceptance by my Administration to be reviewed amplifies our pledge to the citizenry that we are a people-centred Government. Their voices matter, hence our institutions and policies are open to analysis and improvement. Governance is not static, but ever-changing,” he said.

Yet citizens have heard similar pledges before. The Targeted Review Report on Economic Governance and Management was handed to him at an AU Summit on February 13, 2026. He said a “National Programme of Action Matrix” had been developed.

“My Government has taken into consideration the comprehensive recommendations made there-under, and developed a National Programme of Action Matrix. We are determined to achieve equitable development that leaves no one and no place behind,” he said.

Analysts note that previous matrices and NDS targets have failed to translate into jobs or service delivery.

President Mnangagwa listed “home-grown initiatives” he wants Africa to copy, including the Land Reform Programme, performance contracting, Heritage-Based Education 5.0, Village Business Units and “Back-to-Basics” monetary policy.

He called the APRM “a national programme requiring contributions from every sector of society.”

“To my fellow countrymen and women, the APRM is not for Government alone, but for every Zimbabwean. The Mechanism is a vital tool for inclusive growth and sustainable socio-economic development,” he said.

“Let us never shy away from improving our systems, hearing the views of the people we serve and appropriately adjusting our respective organisations and entities to meet the expectations of our stakeholders,” he added.

For many, the words rang hollow. No timeline was given for implementing the APRM recommendations, and no explanation was offered for why past reviews have not stopped corruption or mismanagement.

President Mnangagwa also declared the country was on “an irreversible and accelerated course to national economic development and prosperity”.

He further used the platform to attack the West:

“The obligation to build, modernise and develop our economies, leveraging on the rich resource endowments is on our shoulders. Partners may only assist the realisation of our respective visions and development priorities as set out by ourselves. The days of running with the agenda and narratives set elsewhere, in Western capitals are over,” he said.

He thanked Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo for supporting Zimbabwe’s bid for a UN Security Council seat, and acknowledged the AU and SADC for backing calls to remove sanctions.

Closing his address, the President said:

“The aspirations of our ambitious young people, the hope of resilient women and dreams of hardworking entrepreneurs all depend on the actions we take. We do not have the luxury of failure.”

But with unemployment still high and institutions weak, many Zimbabweans are asking: if failure is not an option, why does it feel like the only thing the Second Republic keeps delivering?