Source: ‘Govt threw caution to the wind on bond notes’ – DailyNews Live
STAFF WRITER 26 September 2017
HARARE – Transform Zimbabwe, which is a part of the MDC Alliance – a
coalition of opposition parties aiming to unseat President Robert Mugabe
in crunch elections expected next year – has said the country is about to
experience the greatest economic turmoil since 2008.
Speaking at a consultative meeting of the party leadership at the weekend
in Waterfalls, Harare, TZ president Jacob Ngarivhume said: “The chaos that
Zimbabwe is in right now requires the hand of God to cover and secure the
people.
“Party leaders must urge their structures to continue praying for the
nation, requesting the grace of God to cover and secure all the citizens
of Zimbabwe in these trying times.”
“The tragedy is that even though we had foreseen this last year,
government conveniently ignored the warnings. ”
The TZ leader – who is also the MDC Alliance spokesperson – added that
coalition talks, whose earlier deadline had been set at July 31, were now
expected to be concluded next week.
“As such, all leadership must go and encourage all TZ members to register
to vote in their respective areas as this is the only way to ensure
victory next year. The demonstration against the introduction of bond
notes last year – organised by TZ – was an effort to avert the disaster
before it befell us. Government, however, ignored all warnings and
proceeded to introduce the surrogate currency.
“What we are seeing today is almost a replay of what we witnessed in 2008,
a period that was characterised by shortages of basic commodities,
hyperinflation, increased cash shortages and deteriorating living
conditions of ordinary Zimbabweans.”
Ngarivhume added that government had tried to be cautious at the beginning
of the introduction of bond notes but somehow got carried away and pumped
a “huge amount into the market via the black market to amass whatever
forex there was in the market to fund their selfish and unreasonable
expenditures, which in turn caused the market forces to react in the
manner we once warned them about”.
The meeting, which was attended by scores of TZ leaders, also reviewed the
40-day prayer and fasting taking place across the country and is expected
to end today.
The all-night prayers began on August 21.
COMMENTS
Yes, well said Ngari…. But I can tell you that this has always up in zanu pf’s sleeves all along. It’s not a matter of being carried away or even just a matter of financing their insatiable appetite for self aggrandizement and lavish lifestyles.
Truth is, its now a matter of rigging the next election (of course with all other usual shenanigans still in play. But, for sure considering the time left between now and next election we need to see that zanu pf is now in election-mode. For zanu pf it means time to pamper up all those who are part & parcel of its rigging machinery. Chiefs will now start getting deliveries of their costly top range vehicles; headmen allowances will now be increased & paid more regularly; O-veterans will also have their allowances reviewed & paid more regularly; and overall security sector (army, police CIO) will be blessed with all sorts adjustments to their remunerations. More so, even the “not so important civil servants” – I mean in zanu pf’s understanding, of course, will not be allowed to get into elections being owed by employer be it bonuses or what; etc (for the sake of their vote anyway). So, can anyone think of any other source for the much need cash for zanu pf to fulfil this usual election-related largesse to all & sundry? I can see or think of any; and I certainly knew zanu pf was going to print bond notes to carry out it’s usual ritual.
I doubt if God will help – Zimbabweans must do it for themselves