HARARE — Norton legislator Richard Tsvangirayi has criticised President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying it failed to adequately address the economic challenges confronting ordinary Zimbabweans.

Mnangagwa delivered the 2026 SONA on Tuesday, September 29, at the opening of the Fourth Session of the 10th Parliament, outlining the government’s economic performance and development priorities.

However, Tsvangirayi said the address missed an opportunity to speak directly to the everyday economic pressures facing households, particularly the rising cost of living.

“The President has been celebrating low inflation, but Zimbabweans have not been spared the rising cost of living,” Tsvangirayi said.

He also questioned whether the benefits of the country’s reported economic growth were reaching the majority of citizens, arguing that the SONA did not sufficiently explain how the government intends to address economic inequality and ensure more inclusive growth.

Tsvangirayi further raised concerns over youth unemployment, saying many young Zimbabweans were being pushed into informal trading and other forms of precarious work as they struggled to find formal employment.

His criticism was echoed by Chiredzi Central legislator Blessing Ropafadzo Makumire, who said the address had failed to adequately tackle challenges affecting the health sector and the empowerment of young people.

“The SONA was silent on the empowerment of youths. It was silent on improving our healthcare facilities. So generally, the SONA is devoid of the real issues affecting the people. In fact, there is no SONA to talk about,” Makumire said.

Tsvangirayi said economic performance should not be measured by statistics alone but by whether ordinary citizens are experiencing tangible improvements in their daily lives.

“What matters to ordinary people is whether the economy is putting food on their tables, creating decent jobs, reducing the cost of living, and improving their quality of life,” he said.