via Zanu PF economic with truth – DailyNews Live by Conrad Nyamutata 22 OCTOBER 2013
In its manifesto, “Taking back the Economy: Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment,” Zanu PF has claimed the West’s “illegal” economic sanctions have cost Zimbabwe at least $42 billion since 2001.
According to Zanu PF, Zimbabwe lost donor support amounting to approximately $36 million annually, $79 million in loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), commercial loans of $431 million and GDP reduction of $3,4 billion.
Zanu PF has earned political mileage from blaming the MDC, for allegedly inviting economic sanctions.
But Zanu PF has been economic with the truth on the reasons for the denial of financial support from these international financial institutions (IFIs).
Zimbabwe failed to meet its obligations.
After returning from the IMF empty-handed last week, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa could not disguise this simple fact as his party has often done over the past 10 years.
Chinamasa and his Zanu PF colleagues have in the past told us that IFIs had closed credit lines as part of the “illegal” regime change agenda.
But upon his return, Chinamasa pointed to an unvarnished fact of international financial relations: “We still owe them money,” he intoned, “and because of that they have put us under the staff monitored programme and they will not be giving us fresh money or new concessionary loans until we complete that programme.”
And for perhaps the first time, the words “IMF”, “sanctions” and “regime change” were not spoken in the same breath.
Chinamasa did not contest the fact that Zimbabwe owes the IMF money, and has failed to meet its financial obligations.
Zimbabwe’s voting rights were suspended in 2003 for unpaid debts, which meant it was no longer eligible to borrow.
The IMF restored voting rights on February 22, 2010.
As of January 2013, Zimbabwe owed the World Bank $976,45 million, $127,4 million to the IMF, $587 million to the AfDB while the European Investment Bank was owed $244 million.
Punitive measures for defaulting on payment on your obligations do not equate to sanctions designed to effect political changes.
It simply means a financial organisation cannot risk lending money to a country that is not repaying or might be unable to do so in the future.
But politics breeds half-truths and downright lies in order to win power.
Zanu PF has over the years constructed the punitive measures as a vindictive response to the land reform exercise; as solidarity with the white community deprived of farms during the process.
But after Chinamasa’s remarks we can now safely cast this claim aside as untrue.
Chinamasa did not make reference to these measures as vengeful or designed to influence political change.
“We still owe them money”, was his response. And that is a fact.
In this well-orchestrated narrative of victim hood, Zanu PF has portrayed Zimbabwe as the only country in the world that was isolated for harsh treatment by these IFIs for dispossessing the white community of land.
The reality though is that Sudan and Somalia have been subject of IMF punitive measures too.
Both countries have accumulated obligations dating back to the mid-1980s which they do not deny.
Sudan’s voting rights were suspended in 1993 and lifted in 2000.
So the suspension of Zimbabwe’s voting rights, and denial of aid were not without precedent.
And the reasons have been financial as Chinamasa now, conveniently, confirms.
The simple fact is Zimbabwe owes money to the IFIs.
In September, Chinamasa met the AfDB’s regional director, Ebrima Faal to discuss ways in which Zimbabwe could settle its $587 million debt.
These are conventional financial relations. You owe money; you ought to pay it back.
Zanu PF has however, for political mileage, twisted its failure to manage the economy and to meet its international financial obligations to create an impression that Zimbabwe was an isolated victim of IFIs for political reasons.
Now that Chinamasa and colleagues seem to have faced up to the truth that we owe money, it is time to harness the country’s resources, transparently, to pay our dues and lift the country out of the doldrums.
COMMENTS
When a politician start to speak the truth it means all lies are finished and all holes closed, usually the truth must be cooked before it come out of the mouthpiece, Well it is a good start but a dangerous one-lets forget about the West and use any chance that we have to build our Nation.
BLATANT LIARS MORE LIKE !!!
Wake up joseph!! who wants to assist a bunch of thieves like zanu, they stole an election, they go it alone, its a matter of trust. Why not take a closer look at their indigitization policy and work out the fact that it is nothing more than a protection racket.Would you risk your investment knowing these debt loads?
Munzwa have nt you seen the Zanupf press? The Israelis want to invest massively in Zimbabwe. It means the Americans are not really really against Mugabe since the Israelis are their protegés.
China-masses cant afford to ran way from the truth as it is a condition of the loan. interestingly, that is the same guy who also parroted how WB, IMF, EIU were unrepentant racists who advance the interest of the west……now that he is in charge, he be forced to parrot to opposite to mudhara and his team of brainwashed ministers
eee zanu, gore rino, iro rino, umwe msangano uchatiza mu hofisi
We should prepare ourselves for difficult times ahead ,because these words depict a gloomy picture on our economic recovery for years to come .Zanu PF will always be remembered for inflicting pain and poverty. Denial , mismanagement and paranoia from
Mugabe not wanting to relinquish power is the root cause. I voted for Mugabe in 1980 , little did I know that my vote was going to bring disaster not change as anticipated.
Zuro ndinhasi.
Zimbabwe is simple uncreditworthy. Not only to IFIs but to its citizens. These people presided over the destruction of the our bank accounts, life policies, educational policies, funeral policies, fixed deposts and anything related to financial investment. Ran the country’s inflation rate into quattuordecillion novemdecillion percent. Still we entrust them, like we did when we mandated them to lead the struggle in the office wing. Only idiots do things the same way and expect a change in results. Are we?