PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday vowed to take the war to the
country’s “political detractors, elite opportunists and malcontents” who are
pushing a nefarious agenda of regime change.
The President yesterday chaired an eight-hour long
Politburo meeting that focused mainly on ending the current economic
challenges, which the ruling party noted are being stirred by an invisible hand
determined to breed chaos in the country.
This comes as the economy has been going through turbulent
times notwithstanding the fact that the Government has put in place a raft of
measures and interventions to spur economic growth.
Despite being in the middle of a tobacco selling season,
the country’s major cash crop, the Politburo raised concern about the continued
waning of the local currency against the United States dollar due to a
speculative exchange control environment being manipulated by economic
saboteurs.
In his opening remarks at the 340th ordinary session of the
ZANU PF Politburo, President Mnangagwa noted that the Government and its
leadership have of late come under attack from detractors bent on fomenting
instability in the country.
“On the economic front, we are witnessing a relentless
attack on our currency and the economy in general through exorbitant pricing
models. We are fully cognisant that this is a battle being fuelled by our
political detractors, elite opportunists and malcontents who are bent on
pushing a nefarious agenda.
“They will never win. We did not liberate this country for
selfish, profiteers and greedy individuals, but for all people in our land who
have a right to enjoy a better quality of life. As a party we must always
strive to achieve this,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President pointed to the alleged abduction of three MDC
Alliance members, namely Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova, as
part of the grand plot by the country’s detractors to tarnish Government’s
image.
The President, however, said the alleged abductions had
been exposed for their inconsistencies by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
Minister Cde Kazembe Kazembe in his recent statement.
“Concurrently during this period was the resurgence of hate
speech and language which are not characteristic of the values we seek to be
embedded in our country under the Second Republic. This vile culture must be
rejected by all peace-loving people,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the confrontational actions were
well coordinated and planned.
“I am aware that the intention was to cause despondency,
unrest, violence and to render the country ungovernable. These acts should
never be tolerated. I urge the Party and nation as a whole, to remain alert.
Let us refuse to be divided by vigilantes who are hired by hostile foreign
governments to distract us from our quest to grow our economy and improve the
quality of lives for all, in peace, unity and love,” President Mnangagwa said.
After the Politburo meeting that also saw the Minister of
Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Governor John Mangudya making presentations on the state of the economy, the
ruling party acting national spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said corrective
measures were going to be taken to protect the general populace.
“Whilst there was consensus on the global economic
recession and slowdown caused by the Covid-19 contagion, the general lockdown
restrictions on certain sectors of the economy and the continued illegal
economic sanctions, there was however a robust acknowledgment that there is an
invisible hand at play fomenting regime change and as a revolutionary party we
will jealously guard against such elements. Economic fundamentals are strong
but perceptions are more negative. The party is aware of these detractors who
are manipulating basic price commodities through unjustified cost-build-ups and
continuously speculating on the exchange rate to fuel the black market economy
for profiteering purposes. This is also compounded by the unhelpful speculation
and negative narrative and perceptions being peddled by our detractors,” said
Cde Chinamasa.
Cde Chinamasa said the ruling party was determined to
provide goods and services, such as basic commodities and transport, at
affordable prices to cushion the people against the impact of the
well-orchestrated plot to sully the image of the Second Republic.
“The re-launch of the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company
(ZUPCO) and the provision of subsidised basic commodities like roller meal,
Presidential Inputs Scheme and capitalisation of Small Micro Medium Enterprises
(SMMEs) financial institutions are a platform to cushion our most vulnerable
members of our communities and the party will continue on this development
trajectory,’’ he said.
Apart from discussing the economy and measures to put an
end to illicit practices on mobile money platforms such as EcoCash, the
Politburo also focussed on production and noted that maize production for the
2018/19 will increase by 17 percent while traditional grains will rise by 103
percent as compared to the previous season. Herald
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