By Dr Masimba Mavaza| Zimbabwe is facing acts by several political camps harassing the reputation of the country and the ruling ZANU PF.
This is more so usually during electoral campaigns. Smear campaigns are a commonly used tactic but in the case of Zimbabwe the tactics are damaging the country’s economy forever.
The economy of Zimbabwe mainly relies on its tertiary industry, which makes up to 60% of the total GDP as of 202.. Zimbabwe has the second biggest informal economy as a share of its economy, which has a score of 60.6%. Agriculture and mining largely contribute to exports. But with sabotage, Zimbabwe is getting from regime change campaigners, the economy is now limping.
Soon after the new dispensation took over Zimbabwe’s economy was projected to grow by 6 percent in 2021 after a cumulative contraction of 11 percent in 2019 and 2020 due to the combined effects of COVID-19, Cyclone Idai and protracted drought and weakened policy buffers, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
The economy rebounded in 2021 as was projected. This was driven by recovery of agriculture and industry and relative stabilization of prices and exchange rates. GDP is estimated to have grown by 5.8% in 2021 after contracting by 6.2% in 2020.
Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy as Zimbabweans remain largely a rural people who derive their livelihood from agriculture and other related rural economic activities. The government has taken to complete the land distribution.
Some of the major industries include the likes of mining, cement, clothing and footwear, wood products, and a few others. Agriculture is also a significant contributor with a contribution of around 20.3% of the total GDP. The economic situation in Zimbabwe is bright but now under attack. The Economic History of Zimbabwe began with the transition to majority rule in 1980 and Britain’s ceremonial granting of independence. The new government under Prime Minister Robert Mugabe promoted socialism, partially relying on international aid. The new regime inherited one of the most structurally developed economies and effective state systems in Africa.In 2000, the government imposed a land reform program to share the land and correct the colonial imbalances.
In the beginning diverse constituencies that resist, undermine, or are otherwise immune to inauthentic principles and practices are actively participating in a one-world systemic conventional society of derailing the benefits we have gained since the beginning of the new dispensation. Be they apolitical, CCC, alterglobalizing anarchists, unemployed youth being paid to destabilise or murderous opposition gang members; they all have much in common. First, they deem conventional society to be utterly disingenuous.
Second, they are in the process of solidifying and constructing authentic alternative communities on the margins of conventional society. ED and Zimbabwe are facing serious attacks by both Zimbabweans and foreigner regardless of their geographic location, as their elusiveness and self-imposed exile enables them to lead highly rewarding, migratory, politically engaged, libertine lifestyles.
These people demonstrate a willingness to use a variety of destructive tactics to resist coercive institutions attempting. The opposition through CCC and civic organisations to bring down the economy of Zimbabwe often use similarly coercive means such as physical force or judicial institutions if and when necessary. If they fail they then request some serious economic strangulation.
The actions of the opposition are deliberate destruction of property or slowing down of work with the intention of damaging business or economic system or weakening a government or nation. The Zimbabwean people are under attack not only from foreign sabotage but now from some members of their own posing as the opposition.
The most basic function of government is to protect the people and their property. So the threat of disturbances and shutdowns must be dealt with effectively. Our intelligence and law enforcement community have been abused in the name of democracy.
If the shutdowns are done we will be in a recession that will result in millions of Zimbabweans losing their jobs and plunging the nation into serious hardships. Or we may not be lucky and have a deepening of the recession with a long, slow turnaround.
Since economic science is not sufficiently developed to forecast the future with much certainty, the responsible policymaker takes action to remove as many impediments to economic growth as possible.
THE sharp decline in the value of the Zimbabwean dollar is a result of a sustained onslaught on the currency by economic saboteurs.
The government must identify and severely punish the economic saboteurs who are fueling inflation through manipulating the exchange rate on the black market. It must not matter if the saboteurs claim to be close to the president or being in yellow. The law must be applied to save our economy. The idea of the opposition is to starve the nation to rebellion. They can not win in any election so they now attack the economy.
The saboteurs have made the black-market exchange rate to widened to US$1: ZW$350 to US$1: ZW$400 over the past week, with prices of basic goods and services increasing correspondingly. This is an attack on the nation and on our economy. “What we have is just a currency attack by saboteurs. The determination of the currency is determined by fundamentals that are in place. We need to find out who is sabotaging the currency,” minister Chiduwa said.
I. Order to push the country under the bus Biti and CCC have pushed for US dollar. In his words Biti said “It works. It worked during the government of national unity,” The plan is to remove the economic power the Zimbabwean government and place the economic power in the owners of the currency. Clearly meaning that America will be in full control of the flow of money in Zimbabwe. The cry for the US dollar is just to weaken the country. “We cannot run a country with a currency that is not ours. What the Honourable member (Biti) is saying does not work. We are going to make it work with the Zimbabwean dollar.” The minister responded to Biti. Current events in Zimbabwe show that while a week may be a long time in politics, it is really a very short blink of an eye in economics. Zimbabweans on the streets of Harare and Bulawayo may be hopeful for political change, but they are much more sanguine and realistic when it comes to improving the country’s economy.
It takes years to wreck economies and usually even longer to repair them. So the opposition and their handlers are putting Zimbabwe in a precarious position. They do not want anything in Zimbabwe to succeed.
ZANU PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa are able to take Zimbabwe’s economy off life support and at least start to put it on the road to recovery.
This is very possible.ED has made the economy to grow in 2021. While some people are very sceptical that a quick solution is even feasible ED will surely deliver amidst the negative narrative. This careless talk is meant turn people against Zimbabwe.
The euphoria that has gripped the nation has certainly raised hopes that the future will be brighter, but if that improved sentiment is to deliver economic dividends, the government needs to make some drastic reforms.
We need to explore the challenges and solutions experienced within Zimbabwe’s economic and social spheres,
including reviews of agricultural subsidies, a gendered approach to poverty, the collapse of service delivery (including a particular focus on education), the “look East policy”, the expansion of the religious sector, and the experiences of Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. Underlying these contributions are the concepts of resilience and agency.
The stunned citizen can clearly recognize the devastation inflicted on life and property from such evil people who pride in destroying our economy. Power in the hands of saboteurs can wreak havoc. The damage, both seen and unseen, is apparent to all.
The physical destruction of the infrastructure due to lack of foreign currency, the demise of businesses and loss of properties from the onslaught of the below the belt punch,the loss of both electrical power and the water itself are immediately discernible. Also recognized are the losses of future recreational activities,irrigation water for agriculture, and a low-cost source of electrical energy. The impact of the saboteur’s in terms of capital destruction and a lower material well being for many people angers all who read or hear of such a cruel act.
A public debate on the merits of shutdowns would be a discussion reserved for madmen. The harm from such sabotage is directly related to the shutdowns and bad mouthing of one’s country. A universal condemnation of terrorism inevitably results because the devastation is so clearly recognized. So economic sabotage is as good as terrorism. The opposition always engage in the economic sabotage by political manipulation.
The problem arises not from an abandonment of common sense but instead from a failure to grasp the destructive consequences that the opposition time bomb” can impose on life and property. If the economic consequences of shutdowns could be as clear and direct as the damage from an exploding bomb, no problem would exist. The great tragedy, however, is that the effects of this latter bomb are rarely that clear.And whether this sabotage is an act of evil or ignorance is irrelevant, for it in no way alters the outcome. The result of sabotage, intentional or misguided, is always the same—devastation of life and property.
So it is a cost of production that will have to be covered by higher prices if the additional production is to be undertaken. The final result is a lower standard of living as the cost of living increases and productive activity declines.
The devastation to life and property from the destruction of the economy will be visible to all. The evil of such sabotage could be clearly seen. The unseen destruction of future prosperity by the political consumption of this wealth is every bit as devastating to our lives and property as the terrorist’s bomb. But to see it requires an understanding of the economic forces in the marketplace that direct our lives.
An understanding of all of the economic consequences, both seen and unseen, is vital if we are to guard ourselves from this second kind of sabotage.
As Zimbabweans let us say No to destructive industrial actions.