The ManicaPost
Paddington Munongwa
Post Correspondent
THE die is cast as Zimbabwe is poised to hold its harmonised elections on August 23 as pronounced by his Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa.
So ground breaking are the elections as the ruling ZANU PF and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), which are the main pundits, are both looking forward to reclaim their lost ground, albeit in their different ways.
ZANU PF is out to prove to the naysayers that its victory during the 2018 harmonised elections was no fluke and aims to deliver a resounding win in the upcoming elections.
President Mnangagwa recently invited interested international observers to come and observe the polls.
But as the nation prepares for the polls, there has been wild increases in prices of basic goods and services.
The local currency had shown resilience against the US dollar after a raft of measures by Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube for the better part of the last quarter of 2022.
The gold coins which were meant to mop up excess liquidity and subsequently provide an alternative store of value from the green back had shown signs of feasibility until May, thereby raising suspicions that they might be a scandalous invisible hand at play.
Foreign currency reserves have reached unprecedented levels in the history of this country.
All economic fundamentals are therefore solid and sound, but somehow the prices keep going up.
It has been hinted that the opposition’s hope to unseat President Mnangagwa is premised on wild increases of basic goods and services to disgruntle the voter.
Conversely, the stability of prices would fall in ZANU PF’s favour, this is a simple mathematical equation!
The Second Republic’s efforts have seen a great leap in the percentage of locally made goods by up to as high as 70 percent from as low as 35 percent, thanks to President Mnangagwa’s support to local industry.
The President has taken bold measures to protect the local manufacturers.
The tendency to suffocate the market through price control which was the hallmark of the First Republic was done away with, thereby paving the way for the auto operation of supply and demand to create confidence and resuscitate the fledging industry.
The movement of basic goods through the border was restricted by heavy import duty to promote local products.
Ironically, today it is the same benefactors who are biting the hand that feeds them!
What boggles the mind is why Zimbabwe always experience price increases each time there are impending elections.
What politicians should know is that you can only pull a scotch cart together in the same direction, not in opposite directions.
One cannot pull down the economy in the hope of fixing it once elected.
As Zimbabweans, we are one and should remain so despite our divergent views.
Remember, you are Zimbabwean first before you join any political party.
People who believe they have a solution to the challenges we are facing should table those ideas for the benefit of the nation.
Ironically, the strategy for the opposition is to make the economy to scream in order to create political mirage.
Let us work together to build our country, have blood free elections and shame our detractors.
◆ Feedback: [email protected]
