Own Correspondent|A ZimEye.com reader has called on Zimbabweans to be “patient” with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wayward speeches as he is not a Zimbabwean and could be battling to find proper Shona words to use when he speaks.

The comment came after Mnangagwa was heavily criticised on social media for his “musoro vabo” utterance on traders who have not adhered to his Mealie Meal price reduction order.

Mnangagwa called “fools” traders who are defying his non implementable instruction to reduce the price of Mealie Meal.

Speaking to residents from Kuwadzana in Harare on Friday where he carried out a clean up campaign, Mnangagwa threatened to revoke trading licences from retailers.

Last month, the government ordered a blanket reduction in roller-meal prices to $50 per 10kg bag of the staple after promising to give subsidised grain to millers a subsidy which the Millers have not received from him.

“Roller-meal is now pegged at $105 as I heard, but we said mealie-meal prices must go down to $50,” Mnangagwa told residents.

“If there are crooks, businessmen who don’t listen to the government because we give them subsidies and they can’t benefit twice, misoro yavo. We will have laws that deal with fools who don’t listen.

“We will reach a stage where we will withdraw licences of those who do not listen and they stay at home,” said Mnangagwa.

“We will have laws which deal with fools who don’t listen. Basic commodities like sugar, mealie meal, salt, soap, cooking oil, bread, must be cheap. We have reintroduced a subsidy on roller meal so it means if the price had risen to $100 it would cost you $50 and we will pay the other $50,” he said.

“If there are unscrupulous businesses that are still overcharging, we will revoke their licences. We have seven products that we have identified and will also be subsidised and these include cooking oil, salt, sugar, rice, maize meal, bread and soap. We will soon be rolling out these under the Silo brand.”