NEW subsidies for at least seven basic commodities will be
introduced soon to relieve the nation from relentless price increases, while a
new policy is set to be unveiled to provide affordable housing to people,
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
The President also revealed that more doctors are set to
return to work after some of them confessed that they had been misled by their
colleagues who have ulterior motives behind the ongoing strike. The new
intervention on basic commodities follows last week’s reintroduction of grain subsidies,
which will halve the price of roller meal to $50.
Addressing the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators
Organisation (Ziliwaco) National Conference in Harare yesterday, President
Mnangagwa said his administration would continue to provide safety nets for
vulnerable members of society.
“One of your grievances raised here was that of price
increases. You already know what we have done by reversing the price of
mealie-meal. We reversed it on Wednesday and we are going to gazette a
Statutory Instrument by Monday (tomorrow) to reduce mealie-meal to $50,” said
President Mnangagwa.
“We are now going to fix the price of mealie-meal so that
it is affordable to the ordinary people and we pay the difference through the
subsidy. In addition to that, we have also chosen about seven basic commodities
which we are going to subsidise. These are basics used by a traditional family,
and we want these basic foods to be cheaper. For example, if a product was
selling for $20, you will buy at $12, then Government will pay the remaining $8
so that people can buy at a low price,” he said.
Furthermore, the newly created Ministry of National Housing
and Social Amenities, the President said, will soon unveil a massive housing
programme countrywide. He also reiterated that there was a hidden hand behind
the ongoing strike by some doctors, who have not been reporting for duty since
September 3 citing incapacitation. But more doctors, in addition to the 46 that
have already taken up Government’s offer, have expressed their interest to
return to work, he added.
“We made a decision to take disciplinary action and most of
them were fired, but we gave them an olive branch to return to work. There were
46 who returned at first, but just two days ago, more of them said they would return.
Some of those who returned confessed that they were being used for certain
agendas bent on destabilising the country. They said some of their leaders were
now playing politics.
“Some of them say they are incapacitated yet Government has
offered them accommodation at the hospitals. We have now uncovered that a few
of them are receiving money from some forces, they are receiving US dollars to
snub work and sabotage the country. We are going to reveal it all at some
point.”
The Head of State and Government said Government is
committed to revamping the country’s health delivery system. He also made a
pledge to redistribute land that has been identified through the ongoing land
audit to landless Zimbabweans, including Ziliwaco members that did not benefit
from the land reform exercise.
“The land audit has covered a lot of ground in about six
provinces so far, and a lot needs to be corrected. There are some farms that
were gazetted for redistribution but have not been redistributed. There are top
officials who own multiple farms but we are going to make sure that everyone,
regardless of who they are, remains with one farm.”
It is believed that “there are two provinces where multiple
farm ownership by top officials is rampant”. Some of the farms are reportedly
disproportionately large as they range between 2 000 and 3 000 hectares.
“We are going to cut those sizes and parcel the land to
those that do not have farms,” the President said.
Ziliwaco members were encouraged to tap into various
Government empowerment programmes. The economic reform agenda to achieve an
upper middle-income economy by 2030 will continue, he said.
“The Transitional Stabilisation Programme and the
comprehensive reforms we have undertaken are already yielding results across
all sectors. We have now adopted our own currency.”
In his remarks, Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga
commended President Mnangagwa for his consistency.
“He is a hard worker and he remained consistent. We can
trust that his economic reform will bear fruits because he has the pedigree for
hard work and dedication.”
The meeting was also attended by Defence and War Veterans
Minister and Ziliwaco patron Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Ziliwaco chairperson
Cde Pupurai Togarepi, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association
Chair Ambassador Chris Mutsvangwa, war veterans secretary in the politburo
Douglas Mahiya, senior Zanu-PF officials and senior Government officials, among
other dignitaries. Sunday Mail
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