“This Is Survival, Not Middle-Income”: Minority Party Slams Ncube Over Budget Claim

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s claim at the November 5 pre-budget seminar that Zimbabweans are now middle-income citizens has triggered backlash, with the Assembly of Minorities accusing him of “deliberately deceiving the nation” while millions live in poverty, broken hospitals, and waterless homes.

Ncube had cited average daily spending of US$9, improved infrastructure, and what he described as “growing economic stability” as evidence of progress.

But AM Party leader Mudenda Chilumbo dismissed the remarks as misleading, arguing that the minister’s narrative is detached from the lived experiences of ordinary Zimbabweans.

“The minister is misleading Zimbabweans because according to the World Bank, middle-income status refers to a country whose Gross National Income (GNI) per capita lies between US$1 136 and US$4 465,” said Chilumbo.

He pointed out that most public service workers — including teachers, nurses, and pensioners — earn less than US$250 per month.

Chilumbo questioned how a country could claim middle-income status when its workforce is underpaid and basic services are collapsing.

“How do you claim upper middle-income status under these circumstances, Minister Ncube?” he asked.

The AM leader said the situation is even worse in rural areas, particularly in marginalised provinces such as Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, and parts of Midlands.

“Families still draw drinking water from open wells and rivers shared with wild animals and livestock, and my home area, Binga, is a case study for this matter,” he said.

He added that schools in these regions remain trapped in the colonial era, lacking textbooks, furniture, and laboratories, with children walking long distances to learn under trees.

Chilumbo described Zimbabwe’s public hospitals as “death traps,” where patients are expected to bring their own gloves, bandages, and medicine.

He also criticised the government’s treatment of informal traders, who he said operate under constant harassment, spot fines, and arbitrary levies.

“Civil servants struggle to afford transport to work. Families in towns rely on firewood for cooking, while rural clinics operate in darkness.

“The above are the real conditions to which our citizens are subjected, Minister Ncube, not your lies,” he said.

To illustrate the gap between Zimbabwe and genuine middle-income economies, Chilumbo cited Botswana, Mauritius, and Malaysia.

“Botswana has invested heavily in healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Its average worker earns over US$800 per month, public hospitals are well-equipped, and electricity and water supply reach most households.

“Mauritius provides free healthcare and education to all citizens and its per capita income is over US$11 000.

“Malaysia, which was at a similar development stage as Zimbabwe in the 1980s, now boasts modern infrastructure, a thriving industrial base and a per capita income above US$12 000,” Chilumbo added.

He stressed that these nations are recognised globally as genuine upper middle-income economies “based on tangible improvements in living standards for the majority, not only the elite few.”

Chilumbo further accused Ncube of using economic claims to support political ambitions.

“Upper middle-income economies are defined by a GNI per capita of at least US$4 500, not through propaganda meant to serve narrow political interests using state platforms such as a pre-budget seminar,” he said.

He also alleged that Ncube prioritises loyalty over national interests, referencing unresolved issues surrounding Barbican Bank.

“The AM party has strong evidence that Mthuli Ncube is not serving the interests of the people. He must be held accountable for the Barbican Bank he owned, which duped Bulawayo residents of their hard-earned money and never refunded them,” claimed Chilumbo.

He concluded by calling the government’s middle-income narrative a political campaign designed to mask failed economic policies.

“Zimbabwe cannot claim to have reached middle-income status when inflation remains high, workers are underpaid, hospitals are under-equipped, and millions live without basic services.

“The government must stop insulting citizens with cooked-up statistics. We live this reality daily — no clean water, no jobs, no electricity, and collapsing infrastructure.

“That is not middle-income life. That is survival.”

-Cite