Youth Sports Arts and Recreation Deputy Minister and Wedza South MP Tinoda Machakaire has warned business people in his constituency who are refusing to accept bond notes and Ecocash for payments.
He said it was an act of economic sabotage and those implicated should be arrested as it was derailing economic recovery and his work as the local representative.
Machakaire was responding to the concerns raised by villagers against errant business people who were only accepting US dollars on Goneso ward on Thursday.
“President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already told you that there are economic saboteurs and these people are part of them. Now in my capacity as your MP and Government official I am warning these people to stop this madness because it is making life difficult for the villagers. We will be forced to act against such behavior,” he said.
He was some of the measures being taken by the Central bank were meant for illegal foreign currency dealers not for the ordinary citizens and business community should not take advantage of that.
“We have seen the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announcing some measures recently but they are meant to stop illegal foreign currency dealings and not to make life difficult for ordinary citizens. So the business community should not take advantage of that,” he said.
The youthful MP said the end of such behavior from the business community was worrying.
He encouraged villagers to identify areas where they can start fishery projects.
“We want to start fishery projects because they can assist on community development. That is the only way we can capacitate our people and fight disasters like drought and hunger in our communities,” he said.
Zanu PF youth league Mashonaland East province chairman Kelvin Mutsvairo concurred with Machakaire saying they would work to flash out errant business people.
“This is not right because they are making it worse for the people here in Hwedza South and some other parts of the country. These economic saboteurs will meet their fate very soon because even President Mnangagwa has been clear that this has to come to an end,” he said.
Villagers thanked him for bringing the fishery project saying it would open several business opportunities for them.