‘Economy should be prioritised’

SOUTH African based politician and leader of opposition People’s Unity Party Herbert Chamuka has said Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa should priorities stablising the country’s economy which is currently characterised by high inflation and fall in the value of the local currency.

This follows after a number of economic measures were announced by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya to stabilise prices of basic goods in the country.

Some of the new measures include the scrapping of all levies on diesel and the crafting of a new law which cements the current multi-currency system that is primarily anchored on the Zim dollar trading alongside the much-coveted American greenback.

“We want president Mnangagwa to complement measures by Mthuli and Mangudya that seek to revive the economy…any constructive criticism should not be taken personal but analysed and taken on board if the end goal is to reduce inflation and ensure that dollar gain value against major currencies,” he said.

He said government should not be tempted to adopt price controls as history had shown that they lead to shortage of basic goods worsening the lives of many citizens.

“President recently Mnangagwa said he wants to introduce price controls, but the question is his price control will be adoped on which currency because the currency in use right now is US dollar. We do not think it is wise to adopt price control,” said Chamuka.

He further poured cold water on the impending 2023 elections saying holding them under the prevailing economic conditions will only result in unnecessary unrest.

“We can’t go to elections with the economy like this. We need to work together so that it improve,” added Chamuka.