Jesuit priest talks about mood in Zimbabwe as Mugabe begins new term :

(Vatican Radio) In Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe was set to be sworn in for a new five year term after disputed presidential and parliamentary elections. The African nation is only just emerging from a decade-long recession that saw an economic collapse with hyper-inflation and widespread hunger among its citizens. Aged 89, Mugabe is Africa’s oldest leader and has ruled Zimbabwe for 33 years since independence but what is the mood like in the nation on this day? To find out more, Susy Hodges spoke to Father Nigel Johnson, Development Director for the Jesuits in Zimbabwe.

Listen to the full interview with Father Johnson:

Based in the capital Harare, Father Johnson says the impression he gets from the city’s inhabitants is that many are very fearful about the future as Zimbabwe’s long-standing leader begins his new term in power. “Most people are very worried… with the general mood one of confusion and concern about what the future is going to bring, ” he says. Zimbabwe experienced a major economic collapse some 5 - 7 years ago with massive hunger and galloping inflation and Father Johnson says that one of the biggest fears among Zimbabwe’s population is a return to “the bad old days of hyper-inflation and nothing in the shops.”

When asked about the major challenges that lie ahead, Father Johnson said there was concern over what Mugabe and his ZANU-PF government have called a planned “indigenization” policy that would see black Zimbabweans take over ownership of foreign and white-owned assets. He says “the implications (of this policy) are fairly serious in terms of economics because they would discourage foreign investment.”

Father Johnson also talks about the “enormous” role played by the Catholic Church and other Christian churches especially in rural areas where they are the main provider of health care services and schooling.