President Emmerson Mnangagwa has singled out Indian businessmen and Innscor Africa Limited for allegedly hoarding products resulting in artificial shortages and price increases.
Speaking at a ZANU PF rally at Nyele Primary School in Bulilima, Matabeleland South Province on Saturday, 01 July, Mnangagwa said those “unscrupulous” businesses are enemies of the Government.
He warned that if the allegations are true, the Indians will be deported and their goods will be confiscated and distributed to ZANU PF members. The Sunday News quoted Mnangagwa as saying:
We are being attacked, currently, nema price achikwira (through price increases). Why? Just when we announced that we are going for a general election, our enemies decided to cause problems among our people, ma-prices kutanga kukwira kunana Inscor (Inscor started to increase prices).
I have been told today that some Indians in Harare are stocking basic goods in Harare.
Vanonotenga sugar yakawanda kuChiredzi (they buy sugar in bulk from Chiredzi), all the basic goods like flour and so on vo-stocker muma warehouses, vokwidza ma-price (and stock the products in their warehouses and raise their prices).
Let me warn them. I have my people investigating these warehouses and if it is true, we shall confiscate not only the warehouses but also the things inside and give to you to distribute.
If they want to hoard, ngavadzokere vanoita hoard kunyika dzekwavo (they should go back and do that in their countries of origin) not in Zimbabwe.
Our government will never tolerate such activities in independent Zimbabwe.
In recent weeks, some basic grocery items have disappeared from shop shelves, while some businesses, especially those in the informal sector, are charging products exclusively in foreign currency.
Inflation has also been on the rise and jumped to 175.8% in June, up from 86.5% in May.
More: Pindula News