President Emmerson Mnangagwa Wednesday 3 August 2022 said he will win the battle against unnamed “economic saboteurs,” NewsDay Zimbabwe reports.
He made the remarks at the National Heroes Acre where he presided over the burial of the late national hero, Retired Brigadier-General Benjamin Mabenge who died at a local hospital in Harare on Monday the 1st of August 2022.
He was 67.
Addressing mourners, Mnangagwa said the economy would not collapse under his watch. He assured the nation:
While in the yesteryear the war was fought on the battlefront, the second republic is well aware of the machinations of our detractors who are fighting us on the economic front. Today, there is asymmetrical warfare to make the economy scream and our people suffer.
Under my watch, they will never succeed. We will never surrender. Against all odds, we will win the economic battle and attain a prosperous future for our people.
His remarks come after inflation last week rose to 256.9%, from 191.6% in June.
Prices of basic goods and services have been skyrocketing against stagnant salaries, unsettling labour in both private and public sectors, where workers have for years been pushing for United States dollar salaries.
He called upon Zimbabweans to emulate Benjamin Mabenge who sacrificed his life and gave honest hard work as a service to his country; working with integrity, transparency and accountability.
The president also implored every Zimbabwean to remain peaceful ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.