Zim opposition leader seeks dialogue on economic crisis

ZIMBABWE’S opposition leader yesterday called for the creation of a “national transitional authority” to deal with a worsening economic crisis amid shortages of basic items such as drugs and fuel.

Nelson Chamisa, who narrowly lost July’s election, accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government of excessive borrowing and lacking ideas to solve Zimbabwe’s biggest crisis in a decade.

Chamisa also plans to go ahead with a rally on Saturday that party officials have indicated could include a mock “inauguration” in protest of the disputed vote.

A ruling Zanu-PF party official, Paul Mangwana, said dialogue with the opposition could only commence if Chamisa accepted Mnangagwa’s victory.

A fragile national unity government in 2009 helped pull the country out of economic crisis when hyperinflation reached 500 billion percent, according to the International Monetary Fund.

When asked what a “national transitional authority” would entail, Chamisa said it should be a “bottom-up” approach involving citizens, churches and other stakeholders and that discussions would determine the nature of the government.

He said the ruling party and opposition had discussed the arrangement after former leader Robert Mugabe was forced out in November, but “they reneged on that promise and chose the path of elections instead of a transitional authority”.

After Mugabe’s departure many in Zimbabwe had hoped the country would emerge from turmoil and return to prosperity. But that has turned into despair as public hospitals run out of drugs and private pharmacies close down, while supermarkets ration items such as bottled water and beer.

The government in recent days has cracked down on street currency dealers, while some senior officials from the reserve bank were suspended on Monday after they were accused of corruption by a ruling party activist.

The president accused “an intricate network of currency speculators mostly in high places and in places of trust” of manipulating black-market foreign currency rates.

With industry in near collapse, Zimbabwe imports most items. |