Zimbabwe rated at the most miserable country

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Zimbabwe tops misery index ahead of war-torn nations

Zimbabwe has been ranked as the most miserable country in the world on Steve Hanke’s Annual Misery Index (HAMI), ahead of countries such as Ukraine, Syria and Sudan. Hanke attributes Zimbabwe’s position on the list to its hyperinflation, which was also the reason for its fifth place ranking in 2021.

The country currently has an inflation rate of 243% and an unemployment rate of 20%. Hanke predicts a GDP growth of only 0.9%, in contrast to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s projection of 6%.

According to Hanke, “Zimbabwe takes this year’s prize as the most miserable country in the world.

Since the reign of Robert Mugabe, which began in 1980, and then his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the political party Zanu PF has had an iron grip on Zimbabwean politics.” Hanke describes Zanu PF as operating more like a political mafia than a political party, with policies that have resulted in widespread misery. Zimbabwe has experienced two episodes of hyperinflation since the Mugabe era, with last year’s annual inflation at 243.8% and lending rates at 131.8%.

The 15 most miserable countries on Hanke’s list, in order, are Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, Ukraine, Cuba, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Angola, Tonga and Ghana. Switzerland is ranked as the least miserable country.

With elections approaching in Zimbabwe, Hanke predicts a win for Nelson Chamisa and his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party. Hanke believes that if the elections are fair and free, Chamisa may be able to pull Zimbabwe out of its current state.

Hanke adds: “With elections around the corner, Nelson Chamisa and his CCC is polling well and on the assumption that there will be fair and free elections in Zimbabwe he just might pull Zimbabwe out of the gutter.”