HARARE – Former advisor to ex-Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, has laid into government for policy inconsistencies and the seemingly bizarre decision to turn to colonial regulations to find solutions to the present economic woes.
Magaisa’s sentiments followed a notice by government to ban the importation of goods under the control of Goods regulations statutory made by Ian Smith in 1974: “section 4(1) (a) of the Control of goods (Import and Export) (commerce) regulations 1974, published in Rhodesia government Notice 766 of 1974.”
But unlike during the Smith regime, Mugabe’s government a few days later, suggested that the ban had been temporarily lifted.
Nonetheless, Magaisa described the invocation of colonial relics as a “desperate measure, one made ostensibly with the intention of promoting locally produced goods”.
The ban which triggered riots at Beitbridge Border Post was designed to deal with the cash shortages that the country is presently facing.
But Magaisa opined that “the horses have already bolted, industry in Zimbabwe is struggling, dead even in some cases, and its capacity to meet demand is severely limited,” Magaisa wrote on his Facebook wall yesterday.
Predicting a black market, the Kent University law lecturer said only those with political connections will benefit from the envisaged ban.
Labelling the Zanu PF regime “flip-floppers-in-chief,” Magaisa said government’s actions are proof that they do not have a clear policy.
“So there we have it, the regime and its apologists are always accusing others of flip-flopping, but here they are demonstrating they are flip-floppers-in-chief. This, after the indigenisation policy, in respect of which they have flip-flopped a number of times they are probably not sure where they are right now.”
Other academics also added their voice to Magaisa’s sentiments that the country’s industries where incapable of meeting the demand.
Academic and researcher Pedzisai Ruhanya said there were no industries in Zimbabwe to feed the market at competitive prices.
“It’s simple economics of demand and supply,” Ruhanya said.
“What they should do is to allow the market to regulate itself. They are trying to introduce liberalisation of the economy through an authoritarian government which does not make sense.
“The government officials themselves import everything from outside, they even bank outside, and get health attention abroad and even give birth outside.”
Ruhanya added that Zimbabwe has “become some kind of animal farm”.
“It’s a political problem; you cannot want a 21st century economy when you have ‘Stone Age political policies’. Those are serious contradictions. We need to reform our politics.”-Dailynews
