By Thokozile Usuwana| My first ever memory of any money concept was of the iconic rabbit on the Zimbabwean 5 cent coin. This was enough to buy that ever refreshing freezit or two to quench the thirst that comes inevitably in the hot African sun. As a precocious and early reader, one thing I enjoyed the most was reading the Kwayedza newspaper sipping and savouring my delicious drink. I was about 3 years of age then.

Sadly, now 26 years later, our rabbit is now extinct and newspapers are permeated with propaganda and millennials do not have the slightest idea of the significance of neither what that rabbit meant to us nor what it means to enjoy a good newspaper read.

This is the sad reality of Zimbabwe. Any brainwashed ZANU PF activist can and will easily argue that this sort of scenario is imminent in any country including and especially the United Kingdom with an example being the 6 pence piece. On the other hand, any individual with the basic requirements for common sense can see the vast disparity between the economic impasse in Zimbabwe and the inflation that hits any other country.

In the past few weeks, news filtered in about the shocking price hikes of basic commodities that took a sub-quality loaf bread from ZWL$2 to ZWL$3.50 a price that many can barely afford. Surely the ZANU PF government should be answerable to such appalling conditions.

In an article published on the 26th April 2019 in the online newspaper NewsdzeZimbabwe, the party’ secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, is quoted ,”This is ZANU PF speaking and we are against these price increases. It is not the government that is increasing the prices, it is individuals for whatever reasons. We are saying as a ruling party, these are unjustifiable and unacceptable.”

Why is it so easy for the ruling party to shift blame of these price upsurges on the people who are suffering and hence attributing their own suffering to be because of their own choosing? No sane mind would rather put themselves in the path of suffering!

In my personal opinion, if any mortal is going to drastic and criminal extremes in the midst of adversity and hardship, it is because of desperation and the sovereign need to provide for their families through a difficult season that they did not impose upon themselves. If what the government says about individuals taking liberties with the prices is indeed true, then evidently the Zimbabwean community is committing a crime.

The question always then is , “ what is leading a mass of people to commit financial crimes such as this?” From face value, Zimbabwe is destroying its own economy but the layer just below the surface exposes the ripple effects of the government’s feral actions.

When the coup d’etat took place in Zimbabwe in November 2017, many argued that having Mr E.D Mnangagwa as the president would benefit the country financially. At almost a year and a half later, the only beneficiaries are the president himself and those that he rules with.

The feeling of catharsis that optimists were expecting to get was irrevocably squashed by the heavy grey cloud of looming suffering. There is no denying all the photographic images that we have been seeing of the president and the rest of his “squad” as he has been living it large travelling from country to country on private jets in the name of helping the country, transporting sofas for better seating while addressing cyclone victims and then there is Mr Mthuli Ncube’s breakfast…

Every human being is entitled to a healthy and hearty breakfast as they so wish but when the minister of finance himself is showcasing such luxury mastication while the common man is scrounging for scraps of poor quality bread, what type of picture does it paint?

As I was growing up, my single mother, Ms Sarah Usuwana, always used to teach us to reach and help humanity from the little that we had and the same will be reciprocated unto us.

Most Zimbabweans that were surrounding me then and now still live by these basic fundamental morals and ethos. Clearly those in ZANU PF must have missed those teachings. To make matters worse, they deny any wrongdoing when it is as clear as day whom is the main culprit. All across the world MDC has been conducting congresses and putting together new executive teams that aim to bring about change and democracy in a civilised and non violent manner.

The reality of anguish and adversity that Zimbabwe is facing in these times of extortionate price increases without any corresponding manner of financial income is what drives us as the MDC to yearn for change.

Enough is enough! All this unethical spending done in the eyes of those who do not know where the next meal is coming from is beyond appalling and we stand as optimists that the future with MDC will not see a such profanity. ZANU PF ought to watch this space because this is the last of their repugnant rule!