Zimbabwe was once a country with a strong industrial base. But today, many of its factories and companies are closed. The main reasons for this are corruption, bad policies, and the long rule of ZANU PF, the political party in power. Companies like Zimcast, Radar Castings, Kariba Batteries, Fort Concrete, and David Whitehead have all shut down. This has caused a lot of economic problems and job losses.

The problem started with the Economic Structural Adjustment Program (ESAP). This program was supposed to fix economic problems, but it did not work well. The real problem was that ZANU PF wanted to create a one-party state with socialist policies. These ideas came from old connections to communist Russia and socialist China. But these policies did not work for Zimbabwe and hurt its economy.

Corruption made things worse. Since the Paweni scandal in 1982, corruption has grown and affected the whole country. Instead of using money to improve industries, corrupt leaders kept the money for themselves. This left local companies weak and unable to compete with modern industries from countries like China.

Foreign investors who wanted to help Zimbabwe’s industries also faced problems. They had to pay bribes to ZANU PF leaders. This stopped progress and caused many companies to close between 2013 and 2014. When the opposition tried to stop corruption, ZANU PF fought back and destroyed any progress made during the Government of National Unity (GNU).

ZANU PF also favored Chinese companies. These companies did not follow tax laws, labor laws, or environmental regulations. They treated workers badly and ignored rules. This made it very hard for local businesses to survive. Many local companies either closed down or moved to other countries.

Today, many old factories are now used as places of worship. This shows how much Zimbabwe’s industry has fallen. But there is hope. If a new opposition comes to power and understands the importance of fighting corruption and making good policies, things can change. Zimbabwe can rebuild its industries and create jobs again.

The way forward is clear. Zimbabwe needs new leadership that can fix the damage done by ZANU PF. This means stopping corruption and creating a good environment for local businesses. It also means breaking away from bad policies and focusing on what will help the country grow. With the right leadership, Zimbabwe can have a strong industrial base again and a better future for its people.