Price hikes: War veterans blast ‘unpatriotic’ business community

WAR veterans here have rapped some members of the business community for being greedy, which is evident in the wanton and unjustified increase in prices of basic commodities that are hurting ordinary people.

The freedom fighters accused those behind the wave of price hikes of being unpatriotic and urged Government to rein them in to save the majority of struggling Zimbabweans.

Speaking during a plenary session of the inaugural provincial Business Economic Empowerment Forum (BEEF) recently, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) provincial chair Cde Tendeukai Chinooneka castigated some sections of the business community for being unpatriotic.

“‘We fought the liberation war for political emancipation of ordinary Zimbabweans out of the love of our country,” he said. “Now what we are seeing within our wholesalers and retail shops is clear lack of patriotism by the business community.

“Prices are being hiked unjustifiably, while some businesses are now demanding payment for goods and services in foreign currency, it is clear such actions are being caused by greed and lack of patriotism.’’

Cde Chinooneka challenged Government to seriously look into the unwarranted hike in prices.

“The obtaining situation speaks to a critical lack of patriotism. Some of the businesses do not have their country at heart,” he said. “Yes, the essence of doing business is primarily to make profit, but charging runaway prices is a selfish conduct whose net effect is to ruin the national economy.

“We, therefore, need patriotic investors and business-people with a goal of developing the country.’’

Cde Chinooneka said the country was under threat from a new form of “colonial bondage” driven by greedy and corrupt individuals involved in unjustified price hikes, profiteering, money laundering and illicit forex dealings that were bleeding the national economy.