Zim Has Become An 'Oliver Twist' - Daily News Editor
The Daily News editor has likened Zimbabwe to a fictitious character in Charles Dickens’s Immutable novel, Oliver Twist.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr John Mangudya called Zimbabwe “a stepchild in a family of nations” when he appeared before Parliament a few days ago.
Zimbabwe has tried to borrow money from Botswana and South Africa in recent months but all attempts have hit a brick wall. The editorial reads in part:
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government and that of his predecessor Robert Mugabe blame Zimbabwe’s deep-seated economic problems on sanctions imposed on the country by the United States and other western countries.
We are, however, of the view that economic sanctions have become a convenient scapegoat that our government uses to mask its inability and incompetence to address the challenges being faced by the country.
It is crucial to remind Mnangagwa’s government that this country under the late Ian Smith’s racist government witnessed remarkable development despite economic sanctions that had been imposed by the rest of the progressive world in response to the oppression and discrimination of indigenous blacks.
Instead of continually moaning over the sanctions, it is high time we gleaned some important lessons from Rhodesia which developed rapidly in spite of biting sanctions and international isolation.
So remarkable was Rhodesia’s development that when we attained our independence in 1980, this country was not only a net exporter of food but it also had a very strong currency.
In response to the economic sanctions, Smith’s Rhodesia pinned its survival on an ambitious import substitution programme as well as the integrity of its government.
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