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Scared Govt Rushes To Reverse Import Ban
16 August 2016
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Scared of public anger, cabinet ministers are panicking over their draconian import ban and now seeking to reverse it.  Last month ZimEye readers attacked the state for its abuse of citizens by creating a statutory instrument that favours the ministers’ private businesses while crushing down poor unemployed citizens who are struggling to survive.

panic hit...Mike Bimha, who is Grace Mugabe's brother - graphic
panic hit…Mike Bimha, who is Grace Mugabe’s brother – graphic

The notorious Minister involved, Mike Bimha, is First Lady Grace Mugabe’s brother.
In a recent ZIMEYE LIVE REPORT program, it was revealed the ZRP countrywide is also in panic and is now seeking peace with the angry public.

Caught with egg on face, government is setting up an emergency monitoring and evaluation team to assess the effects of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 on the business sector and make improvements according to recommendations from stakeholders, a senior official has said.
The contentious instrument has been a source of much trouble for the beleaguered government, with massive demonstrations against import bans taking place in Beitbridge.
The Statutory Instrument removed 42 products from the open general import licence, restricting their importation into Zimbabwe.
This was after government wrongly diagonised that local industry had capacity to produce the goods.
SI64 controls a wide array of imports, including coffee creamers, camphor creams, white petroleum jellies, body lotions, builders’ wares such as wheelbarrows, structures and parts of structures of iron or steel, bridges and bridge sections, lock gates, lattice masts, roof, roof frameworks and doors.
Responding to questions from players in the private sector at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries SI64 breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said the policy was part of recommendations made by the private sector as a way of addressing challenges they were facing.

He said firms that were negatively affected by SI64 could approach Government for solutions.
Minister Bimha said the policy was a temporary measure which sought to address challenges in the manufacturing sector and protect local companies from imports.
Some business people who attended the meeting felt SI64 was a rushed effort.
They said no consultations were made before it was implemented.
It was also highlighted that firms that rely on imports face closure.
But Minister Bimha said consultations were made.
“The Statutory Instrument 64 is part of recommendations from the business sector made 12 months ago. When I became minister, I consulted the private sector on what they thought could be done to address the challenges they were facing.
“We then involved other players in the industry such as the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, among others, to identify products that would be put on the restriction list.
“Business associations also carried out another survey and identified products that were in sufficient quantities and that is how we crafted the SI 64,” he said.
The minister said it was important for business to highlight the unintended consequences of the policy.

“SI64 is not meant for companies to shed labour where companies get adverse effects. We need to strike a balance. You should come and talk to us. We need to find ways of making sure companies survive and continue to comply. I would not dream that this policy would affect so and so in this manner.”

13 Replies to “Scared Govt Rushes To Reverse Import Ban”

  1. Mike Bimha the real situation on the ground is THERE IS NO LOCAL INDUSTRY TO TALK ABOUT IN ZIMBABWE. The industries are gone and you just have to accept that this country now sorely rely on imports. Bannig imports will mean starving for the ordinary Zimbabwean because the few local products available produced by struggling companies will be beyond the reach of everyone. This is REAL whether you like it or not.

  2. Mike Bimha the real situation on the ground is THERE IS NO LOCAL INDUSTRY TO TALK ABOUT IN ZIMBABWE. The industries are gone and you just have to accept that this country now sorely rely on imports. Bannig imports will mean starving for the ordinary Zimbabwean because the few local products available produced by struggling companies will be beyond the reach of everyone. This is REAL whether you like it or not.

  3. You Shona Hater you are a double fool go to hell. Zimbabweans are loving people you want to sow the spirit of hatred between tribes you are like Mboko. During Nkomo the big man and all other VPs we never heard the word Shonas; Ndebeles eeeh Karangas; Zezurus etc. its Mboko who started all this shit of Ndebeles; shonas jani jani suka devil to Hell .

  4. You Shona Hater you are a double fool go to hell. Zimbabweans are loving people you want to sow the spirit of hatred between tribes you are like Mboko. During Nkomo the big man and all other VPs we never heard the word Shonas; Ndebeles eeeh Karangas; Zezurus etc. its Mboko who started all this shit of Ndebeles; shonas jani jani suka devil to Hell .

  5. Another relative in a position- typical of african politics that is why countries are not ruled properly because of this relative thing – relatives first others last eish

  6. Mnangangwa said it “that the Ban is not going to last” we are now a global village so there is no way you want to restrict people what to order from outside or here. we can still buy on Line BUT vana Mike Bimha maFools vaingo hukura heee never to reverse it heee jani jani. Muchida kutongerwa Nyika naGrace. To Hell Marujata neriri rekushata iri Bimha.

  7. Mnangangwa said it “that the Ban is not going to last” we are now a global village so there is no way you want to restrict people what to order from outside or here. we can still buy on Line BUT vana Mike Bimha maFools vaingo hukura heee never to reverse it heee jani jani. Muchida kutongerwa Nyika naGrace. To Hell Marujata neriri rekushata iri Bimha.

  8. this is the work of the devil , people are suffering and the government does not care about it. God please intervene we are dying .

  12. Any planned measures meant to address local industry and economic empowerment needs should be genuine and sustainable in approach. The approach should revisit and analyse the forked-tongue meaning of “people” and “development” as defined by the UN Charter and as adopted by African politicians and governments. African leaders, professionals, politicians and governments still have a slave or colonial mentality where they constantly seek to please the former slave and colonial master at the expense of themselves and their own people.

  13. Any planned measures meant to address local industry and economic empowerment needs should be genuine and sustainable in approach. The approach should revisit and analyse the forked-tongue meaning of “people” and “development” as defined by the UN Charter and as adopted by African politicians and governments. African leaders, professionals, politicians and governments still have a slave or colonial mentality where they constantly seek to please the former slave and colonial master at the expense of themselves and their own people.

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