PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that
Zimbabwe was in a terrible economic situation and deserved better, but blamed
COVID-19 and other natural disasters for militating against his efforts to
implement economic and political reforms.
Mnangagwa made the remarks when he reviewed conditions of
his indefinite national lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19.
He relaxed further the operating conditions of companies,
saying there was urgent need to open up the economy.
"I want to thank my Executive team which continues to
steer this economic ship through the roughest waters Zimbabwe has ever seen in
the recent past, the droughts, cyclones and a global economic downturn in
addition to a pandemic which the world had not witnessed in a century,"
Mnangagwa said.
"These are hard conditions in which we implement tough
spending cuts and deep structural economic reforms, but we have no choice, if
we do not reform now, we will continue to drown in debt or paddle along with
mediocrity. Zimbabwe deserves better."
Mnangagwa has been under pressure to resuscitate the free
falling economy, with fears that the deteriorating conditions could spark a
coup.
On Wednesday, Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe held a
Press conference to debunk rumours of the coup, but immediately accused former
Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, unnamed security officials,
senior government officials, MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson Job
Sikhala, western embassies, churches and civic organisations of plotting to oust
Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa said he had begun various reform processes that
include economic, political and media as promised by the new dispensation
before the lockdown, but his efforts had been slowed.
"As we continue to return to work, we must once again refocus,
recalibrate and revamp. Let us recall that Zimbabwe was in the mid of deep and
broad reforms," Mnangagwa said.
"We were reforming distortions that had bedevilled our
economy for decades. We were reforming the old, creating the new, building
stronger foundations for a more prosperous Zimbabwe."
Ironically, Mnangagwa has been accused of using the
lockdown to entrench tyranny after several opposition members and lawyers
linked to Nelson Chamisa's MDC Alliance have been arrested. Three MDC Alliance
activists, including Harare West MP, Joanah Mamombe, were abducted and
allegedly tortured by State security agents as the onslaught on the opposition
continued during the lockdown.
"We began to
reform our economic landscape as well as our political space and media space by
removing antiquated laws and opening up new channels for dialogue and
debate," Mnangagwa said.
"Unfortunately, just as Zimbabwe was opening up both
internally and externally, we were forced like much of the world to close
societies, to close markets, to close borders."
Mnangagwa added: "Zimbabwe must once again be opened,
the freedoms we promised at the outset of the new dispensation must once again
be felt across the whole of our society, the freedom of assembly, freedoms of
speech and religion, freedom to vote in free and open elections, freedom to
flourish.
"As your President, I commit that we will work twice
as hard, with the purpose to improve your lives and give your children a better
future. It is time to accelerate our development." Newsday
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