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Outspoken former Chivi South legislator Killer Zivhu (ZANU PF) has claimed that white employers in Zimbabwe treat their Black employees better than their Chinese counterparts.
In a post on X, Zivhu said he was “appalled” at the treatment of his cousin, who works as a driver for a Chinese employer.
He alleged that his cousin is forced to sleep in his car and cook meals in Bulawayo, which he then eats over three days in Harare, while his Chinese bosses enjoy comfortable hotel accommodations and fine dining. Said Zivhu:
<blockquote>
Appalled by Chinese nationals’ treatment of Blacks in Zimbabwe! My cousin, a driver, sleeps in cars while they enjoy hotels. Cooks his meals in Bulawayo kuti agozodya ku Harare for 3 days, while they dine lavishly. White people show more dignity towards Blacks than Chinese.
</blockquote>
Since 2000, when the Zimbabwean government seized farms from white farmers and adopted the “Look East” policy, there has been a significant influx of Chinese nationals, particularly in the mining sector.
However, numerous reports indicate that Chinese employers often mistreat their Black workers, paying them meagre wages and subjecting them to inhumane working conditions.
In September of this year, Daniel Molokele, the Member of Parliament for Hwange Central, criticized Chinese coal miners in the district for failing to adhere to Zimbabwe’s laws.
This came after residents of Ingagula township in Hwange raised concerns about excessive dust pollution caused by the haulage trucks and coal mining activities of the Chinese operators.
Molokele further alleged that Chinese investors are protected from scrutiny due to their connections with influential politicians in Harare.
In August, Farai Maguwu, the founding director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, described the growth of Chinese mining operations in Zimbabwe as a form of “organised crime” due to their exploitative practices.
He argued that mines established in Zimbabwe since 2000 have not contributed meaningfully to the improvement of the communities in which they operate. Said Maguwu:
<blockquote>
Mining that is conducted in Zimbabwe is organised crime, it is not really formal. In terms of mines that started operating after the year 2000, the one that I think is a demonstration of unit of environmental social or governance risk is Zimplats.
If you go to Zimplats you will realise that they have invested in the road infrastructure, and they have built a town such that even if Zimplats is said to have ceased operations in Zimbabwe, that settlement will continue to exist.
They have built houses for their staff, it is actually a town that they have built. But those coming from China, they have no intention to stay here, they have no intention to transform the place from the way they found it and turn it into a better place.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

White employers are treating Black workers better than Chinese employers in Zimbabwe. Former lawmaker Killer Zivhu shared how his cousin, who works for a Chinese boss, has to sleep in his car and cook his own meals while the bosses enjoy luxury. Chinese investors in Zimbabwe, especially in the mining sector, are under fire for mistreating employees and not following the country's laws. Chinese mining operations have been described as organized crime by some experts, with little benefit to local communities. This has raised concerns about the impact of Chinese investment in Zimbabwe.

White Employers Treat Black Workers Better Than Chinese, Says Killer Zivhu

Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at SOAS, University of London, has warned Zimbabwe against “carelessly” antagonising Qatar.
This warning follows Mehluli Dube, a former Fidelity Printers official, who secured the attachment of Al Jazeera’s property after being implicated in the “Gold Mafia” documentary, which exposed Zimbabwe’s gold smuggling syndicates.
Episode 2, titled “Smoke and Mirrors,” accused Dube of corruptly signing off licenses for gold smuggling, allegedly receiving US$3,000 per month.
Dube claims the documentary damaged his reputation and sought a court order to attach Al Jazeera’s property as part of a defamation claim against the “peregrini respondent” (an international party not domiciled within the court’s jurisdiction).
Justice Siyabona Musithu granted Dube’s request in a ruling at the Harare High Court. Musithu said that the case was of public interest and deserved to be tested in court to determine the validity of the allegations.
He affirmed that the High Court has jurisdiction, and thus, Al Jazeera’s property could indeed be held as requested.
Posting on X, Chan suggested the lawsuit might be sponsored by Zimbabwean authorities as revenge against Al Jazeera for exposing corruption among the elite.
He warned that such a move could backfire, considering Qatar’s substantial international influence.
He wrote:
<blockquote>
An interesting lawsuit. Whether it has merit, the courts will decide. If it is somehow a ‘sponsored’ suit in revenge against Al Jazeera, it should be kept in mind Qatar’s huge international influence. Not a country to pick a fight with carelessly.
</blockquote>
Al Jazeera, a state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, is used by the Gulf State as a powerful tool to advance its foreign policy through public diplomacy.
By broadcasting news and perspectives that align with its interests, Qatar can influence public opinion and elite views both regionally and internationally.
Several countries have restricted Al Jazeera. Egypt has banned Al Jazeera since 2013, accusing it of inciting violence.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have blocked Al Jazeera’s websites and channels.
Bahrain has restricted Al Jazeera’s broadcasts, and Israel has called for the closure of Al Jazeera’s Jerusalem bureau and blocked its transmission.
These restrictions are often part of broader political conflicts and accusations of biased or provocative coverage.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe is warned not to fight with Qatar over a documentary about gold smuggling. An official mentioned in the documentary went to court to sue Al Jazeera, the broadcaster, for defamation. The court allowed him to attach Al Jazeera's property. A professor warned that Zimbabwe should not anger Qatar, who has a lot of power internationally, by suing the broadcaster. Al Jazeera is known for influencing public opinion, and some countries have even banned or restricted it. In the end, the lawsuit could cause more trouble for Zimbabwe if they are not careful.

Zimbabwe Advised To Avoid Confrontation With Qatar Over "Gold Mafia"

Zimbabwe’s ruling elite and the politically connected may be attempting to sell land acquired during the land reform programme at no cost, following the government’s announcement of a new model allowing beneficiaries to sell their land, according to a former cabinet minister.
The chaotic fast-track land reform programme began at the turn of the millennium when former independence fighters invaded approximately 4,000 farms owned by white farmers.
This led to the politically connected and their families seizing vast tracts of land, with some occupying multiple farms.
On Tuesday, the government announced that beneficiaries of the programme could sell or transfer their farms, but only to “indigenous Zimbabweans.”
In an interview with <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200033401/new-land-laws-biggest-heist">NewsDay</a>, self-exiled former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi described the process as opaque, suggesting that those with political connections stand to profit. He said:
<blockquote>
It is the biggest heist by this class since independence driven by policy itself and done under very opaque processes with no constitutional provisions compliance, consent from the people (referendum), audits, compliance with one family one farm, maximum land sizes and just waking up bestowing title to a replacement black bourgeoisie whose criteria to land ownership only God knows and boom cash out.
It is a policy reversal of the land reform programme as originally envisaged.
There will be numerous, in fact, hundreds of ‘black fronted’ land ownership transactions by former occupiers and foreigners, as much as there is leased farming by the same today.
It is a free ride by our own elite, with no Bill to the elite beneficiaries (zero rate) and titling their unverified, unaudited, no-trespass acquisitions.
</blockquote>
Currently, some beneficiaries of the land reform programme are not producing anything on their farms; instead, they are leasing the land to landless farmers who were unable to benefit from the programme.
These beneficiaries are collecting rent from these farmers, despite having received the land at no cost from the government.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's leaders might let people sell land they got for free. The land reform program took land from white farmers and gave it to politically connected people. Now, the government says these people can sell their land, but only to other Zimbabweans. Critics say this is unfair and benefits the elite. Some landowners are not even farming the land they got; they are renting it out. This new policy is a change from the original land reform program.

"Zimbabwe's New Farm Policy A Reversal Of Land Reform"

Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono described the Zimbabwean government’s new policy allowing Black Zimbabweans who received farmland for free to sell it as not just “foolish,” but also criminal.
In a post on X, Chin’ono argued that expropriated land should belong to the government. He asserted that anyone willing and able to farm should be permitted to use the land for a fee or purchase it directly from the government, rather than from beneficiaries of farm invasions. Below is Chin’ono’s statement in full:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwean government announced a new cabinet policy yesterday that will allow Black Zimbabweans who received farmland for free to sell it to Black Zimbabweans who did not. Do you see how absurd this reads?
This is not only economically foolish but criminal too. One person receives something for free, sells it for a profit, and the one who didn’t get the land is expected to fund the original land grab. Crazy stuff!
Although Zimbabwe’s tyrant and dictator, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is well known internationally as a thoroughly corrupt man, and it is clear that he and his goons want to profit from this, it will not work.
First, only a fool or a gang member of the looting club would buy contested land. Any farmland obtained after 2000, during the ZANUPF land invasions, is still contested to this day. 
Title can only change hands when the former White farmers sign a deed of cession. A deed of cession is a legal document transferring property ownership from one party to another. It allows a lender (bank) to sell the property to recover an outstanding debt. 
Former white farmers will not sign this until they are fully compensated, as the Zimbabwean regime under Mnangagwa had committed to doing in 2018.
That land should belong to the government, and anyone willing and able to farm should be allowed to use it for a fee or to buy it from government and not from beneficiaries of farm invasions and fast track land transfers. When they no longer need it, they should return it to the government.
However, this government, composed of crooks who have already looted billions of YOUR money, seeks another big payout by crafting a law that allows them to sell the many farms they invaded, many which are idle.
As long as the properties on that land are not paid for, and the white farmers have not signed the deed of cession, anyone buying that land under a ZANUPF law is throwing money away. It will eventually be contested, as we have seen many times before.
A notable example is Uganda. Dictator Idi Amin ordered the seizure of all businesses owned by Asians, just as ZANUPF did with farmland. He handed them to his cronies. 
Ugandans were told they could buy those businesses from each other as Mnangagwa is attempting to do with the land, but it did not work in the long run because economics doesn’t work that way.
When the current Ugandan ruler, General Yoweri Museveni, came to power in 1986, his government had to track down those Asian owners or their descendants and pay them compensation because no serious investor wanted to touch those contested businesses except the crooks amongst themselves.
Uganda eventually compensated for properties seized from Asians during the Idi Amin era. After Amin was overthrown in 1979, the new government established the Departed Asians Property Custodial Board to manage the seized properties.
In 1992, General Museveni announced that the properties would be returned to their original owners or their descendants, with compensation paid for those that had been sold or destroyed.
The expulsion of Asians from Uganda was a traumatic event with lasting consequences for the country’s economy and society, much like ZANU PF’s land invasions that destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy. 
Nearly every business was linked to farming, and when farming collapsed, everything else followed.
The issue at the moment is not about selling and buying land, it is about the investment world having zero confidence in anything ZANUPF says due to a well established track record of lies and fake promises.
A 99-year lease would have been sufficient to make land tradeable, but this failed because Mnangagwa continued with land invasions. Nobody holding land today is safe unless they are part of the ZANUPF leadership.
As long as people can lose their farms due to party affiliation or political views, farmland will never be a worthwhile long-term investment for any serious business person, farming is a business. 
The land is owned by the government, which must pay compensation as promised and then allow any Zimbabwean to buy it from the government without political conditions.
Why should someone who invaded 21 farms and holds them in their custody be allowed to sell them when they paid nothing for them? How is this any different from colonialism?
This is criminal and should be REJECTED in its entirety by all sane Zimbabweans!
What Mnangagwa and his ZANUPF cabinet want will lead to serious political problems and upheavals that led to a war of independence, including the economic viability of such a move, the legal status of the land, and the moral implications of profiting from an unfair distribution of resources.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA),the Zimbabwean dictator stated that he was compensating 94 former white farmers, providing them with US$20 million. 
What you need to know is that these farmers are linked only to Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA), and around 70% of them are Dutch.
A BIPPA, or Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, is an international agreement between two countries aimed at promoting and protecting foreign investment. 
The agreement includes provisions that protect investors from discriminatory treatment, expropriation of assets, and unfair restrictions on the repatriation of profits.
ZANUPF violated these agreements regardless of having signed them, a terrible track record of not honouring legal agreements.
We also have 650 Black farmers who lost their land to ZANUPF’s fast-track land invasions. They were told that they would get their farms back under Statutory Instrument 62 of 2020. 
However, they did not regain their farms. How can a sane person buy that land when it is contested and without a deed of cession? Remember, these are not even white farmers, they are Black farmers.
There are 4,500 title deeds in contention, yet Mnangagwa only mentioned 94 in his SONA address. Who will pay these thousands of former white farmers?
How can one establish such a policy without a comprehensive land audit that assesses how many invaded farms one owns, what they have produced, and the amount of taxes they have paid to the Zimbabwean fiscus?
Land policy will require a national strategy based on economic viability and a non-partisan approach. 
No one should benefit from selling land they did not purchase from the state or the former land owners. 
Additionally, agreements with the banking sector are crucial, as arrangements solely with ZANUPF hold little value to the rest of the world.
Lastly, is what ZANUPF wants to do based on Leasehold or Freehold title? Freehold and leasehold are two different types of property ownership, with distinct differences in terms of the rights and responsibilities of the owner.
With freehold ownership, the owner holds the title to the land and the buildings on it, the owner has full control over the property and is free to make any changes or improvements, subject to local planning regulations, the owner is responsible for maintaining the property and paying for any repairs or upkeep, the owner has the right to live in the property for as long as they choose and can sell it at any time.
With leasehold ownership, the owner has the right to occupy the property for a fixed period, typically 99.
The owner does not own the land, but instead has a lease agreement with the freeholder, who owns the land and in this case it would be government.
The lease agreement sets out the terms of the lease, including the amount of ground rent that must be paid to the freeholder each year, the owner may be required to obtain permission from the freeholder before making any changes to the property.
All these things are not addressed because in my view this is not done in good faith, but to steal and plunder billions of dollars from selling land if they do get clowns willing to put money down the drain.
How do you get free land, free mechanisation equipment, free inputs, free fuel and free equipment maintenance every year, yet you ask the taxpayer to pay the previous farmers while you get the right to sell on the land, it is mindless and uneconomic looting that only a person with a criminal mind can defend?
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

The Zimbabwean government has a new policy that allows Black Zimbabweans who got farmland for free to sell it. A journalist named Hopewell Chin'ono thinks this is foolish and criminal. He says the land should belong to the government, not individuals. An example from Uganda shows that selling contested land leads to problems. He thinks the government wants to profit from this policy. He believes the land should be owned by the government, leased to farmers, and returned when not needed. Buying land based on this new policy is risky and will not work in the long run. It is not a good idea, and it should be rejected by everyone in Zimbabwe.

New Policy Permitting Land Reform Beneficiaries To Sell Farms Is "Foolish" And "Criminal" - Chin'ono

Former ZANU PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa believes that the court’s decision to allow the corruption trial of Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu to be broadcast live indicates the involvement of a hidden influence in the case.
Chimombe and Mpofu have been in custody for over two months on corruption charges totalling more than US$7 million.
Their trial has been postponed to October 22 of this year. The duo appeared in the High Court in Harare on Thursday last week, with the proceedings broadcast live on ZTN.
They are accused of misappropriating approximately US$7.7 million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mliswa suggested that an ex-convict is orchestrating events behind the scenes to humiliate the two men.
While Mliswa did not disclose the identity of this individual, some commentators speculate that the arrests of Chimombe and Mpofu are linked to their conflict with Wicknell Chivayo, an ex-convict with close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The duo had leaked audio recordings alleging corruption involving Chivayo and several high-ranking state officials, and their prosecution is seen as a form of retaliation for disclosing information and “talking while they were eating.”
Mliswa asserted that it is only a matter of time before the tables turn against the ex-convict behind Chimombe and Mpofu’s prosecution. He wrote:
<blockquote>
I didn’t want to comment on the Chimomb and Mpofu case but the latest revelations that the case will be broadcasted live has confirmed my suspicions that there is a third hand behind. The case is more political than legal as all vestiges of the latter have fallen away.
The theatrics are efforts of a hidden hand making a statement of power. The basic facts of the case itself would allow, for Chimombe to be given bail long back as he has nothing to do with the case. It’s not his company and he was never part of the negotiations for the goat deal.
Yet the hidden hand seeks to flex its power and flaunt its extravagant leverage in ZANU-PF. We all know who the third hand is but time is our master. An ex-convict can only survive for so long even with all the money to silence and buy support.
Ende ZANU PF hayiiswe muhomwe such that one can wantonly abuse others like this. Some of us experienced the same with ZRP Commissioner Chihuri during his reign.
I was persecuted and dragged through courts unceasingly. Yet Mwari ndewemumhu wese. Nhasi aripi Chihuri?
It’s a warning to all those tugging the strings behind the scenes. When you have access to higher offices utilise it for positive things not wanton abuse of others. If this were the biggest corruption case we could believe the need to televise all that.
Yet even bigger corruption cases, like the Sandura Commission, have been held away from the limelight. It’s very sad how a whole system can be corrupted and abused to pander to the whims of a monied person.
Still, there is a limit to the use of money to buy control and leverage in the party. One day zvinopera chete. We know who is behind all this. God isn’t for one person.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Two men, Chimombe and Mpofu, are in trouble for stealing money from a government scheme. A man named Mliswa says there is someone powerful behind their trial trying to embarrass them. This person might be connected to a man called Chivayo who is close to the President. Mliswa says this hidden influence won't last forever and that God is watching. The trial of Chimombe and Mpofu was shown on TV, which is unusual. Mliswa thinks this is all a political game to show power.

Temba Mliswa Says Hidden Forces At Play In Chimombe And Mpofu's Corruption Trial

Renowned Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono says the country’s land reform programme, which was accelerated by the Robert Mugabe administration around 2000, needs to be redone.
Chin’ono said that productive farmers should receive land, rather than allowing politically connected individuals to acquire large tracts of land that they subsequently lease out.
Chin’ono’s remarks came in response to a statement issued on Tuesday, October 1, by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi concerning allegations that community members invaded Strathmore Farm in Banket and stole potatoes.
Commissioner Nyathi said the farm belongs to Retired High Court Judge Vernanda Cecil Ziyambi and is currently leased to Jonathan Timothy Mackwade for potato farming.
He also said preliminary investigations suggest the farm manager authorised farm workers and locals to collect damaged potatoes from the harvested field the day after the harvest was completed.
In his comments, Chin’ono asserted that land is currently held by the wrong people and should be reallocated to those who will use it productively. Wrote Chin’ono on X:
<blockquote>
To my South African friends and followers on this timeline who are always asking me why Zimbabweans come to South Africa to do menial jobs when they have land in Zimbabwe. Below is your answer.
What you are reading in the document in the quoted tweet (statement by Commissioner Nyathi) explains what went wrong with land reform in Zimbabwe.
Land is given to those connected to ZANU-PF, but they are not necessarily farmers.
They then rent the farms to white farmers who were kicked off the land, so what happened in Zimbabwe is not land reform, but thugs taking over land and renting it out instead of giving it to people with expertise to use it.
In a normal society, a judge who is not a farmer would not have been given land only to rent it out to the real farmer. 
This makes food in Zimbabwe more expensive because the farmer has to pay rent to someone who produces nothing and got the land for free without paying a penny.
Judges receive these farms as a thank you for passing illegal rulings against the regime’s political opponents! 
Land is in the hands of the wrong people. 
If the real farmer had been given access to this state land, the cost of potatoes would be cheaper because they wouldn’t have to factor in rent paid to the “farmer-owner.”
Land reform will have to be redone in Zimbabwe in a way that is sustainable, fair, and economic. 
What ZANU PF did is akin to invading a plane without knowing how to fly it, then asking the pilot to use it for a while in exchange for rentals.
The real farmer can’t develop the farm because it is not in their name, as they can be kicked off by the official owner.
Land is in the hands of a ZANUPF mafia that charges protection fees/rentals to white farmers to allow them to continue farming.
This practice perpetuates historical inequalities and has negative economic consequences for the country.
The cost of food production rises due to this added layer of rent, and the overall productivity of the agricultural sector suffers because experienced farmers are not given the opportunity to fully utilise their skills and resources.
A sustainable and equitable land reform process would prioritise allocating land to those with the knowledge and experience to use it effectively.
This would not only improve agricultural productivity but also help address historical injustices and empower previously disadvantaged communities.
Today, the majority of the previously disadvantaged are still disadvantaged. I was one of the top three Boer goat breeders in Zimbabwe from around 2015 doing it at my ancestral plot.
A former governor for Mashonaland East asked me to join ZANUPF if I wanted land. Of course, I politely said no.
The judge can’t own land, it is state land. She has a lease, and because she is part of the ruling elite, she can rent it out and make money from something she didn’t pay a penny for. Her husband, Tarisai Ziyambi, was also a government minister.
If people who can produce and have the production expertise have to beg people who can’t produce for land, it is a Banana Republic. Zimbabwe is a crime scene!!!!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe needs to redo land reform because wrong people have land. Land is given to politically connected people who rent it out. This makes farming more expensive and lowers productivity. The real farmers are not given a chance to use the land effectively. Land reform should be fair and give land to those who can use it well. Currently, those with expertise in farming are overlooked. Hopewell Chin'ono says land reform should be redone in a way that helps everyone, not just a few people.

Zimbabwe’s Land Reform Programme Must Be Redone - Chin'ono

Economic commentator Gift Mugano has warned the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) against floating the exchange rate without adequate foreign currency reserves.
Mugano said the move by Zimbabwe’s central bank on Friday, 27 September, to liberalise the ZiG currency is “suicidal” adding that the RBZ “just put nail on the ZiG coffin.” He said:
<blockquote>
In our instance, I think we are now at a deeper end. We are in the middle of the storm, that we have adopted a local currency, we do not have enough reserves and we are supposed to liberalise.
So, it’s like committing suicide and again if you don’t liberalise you are still committing suicide again. We need to go back to the drawing board and say how do we address this.
</blockquote>
Instead of liberalising the exchange rate, Mugano suggested that the RBZ should scrap the ZiG, return to USD mono-currency, and introduce the ZiG when the time is ripe – when the right fundamentals are in place.
A Harare-based economist, who declined to be named for professional reasons, told <a href="https://www.businessweekly.co.zw/gold-backed-currency-fails-to-stem-zims-economic-challenges/">Business Weekly</a> that liberalisation and maintaining controls present significant risks, and “there is no easy solution.” Said the economist:
<blockquote>
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is facing a daunting task. Liberalising the foreign exchange market could lead to hyperinflation while maintaining controls could exacerbate shortages and inefficiencies.
The Government must carefully consider the potential consequences of both options.
A poorly executed liberalisation could have disastrous consequences for the economy.
The best solution for Zimbabwe may lie in a gradual and carefully managed approach to liberalisation, combined with targeted measures to address the underlying causes of economic instability.
</blockquote>
On Friday, September 27, the central bank devalued the ZiG by over 40% against the US dollar, changing the exchange rate from 14.1 ZiG per dollar to 24.3 ZiG per dollar.
However, the RBZ has not clarified whether the currency will float freely or if it will continue to control the exchange rate after the devaluation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Economic expert Mugano warns that Zimbabwe should not float the exchange rate without enough foreign money. He thinks doing this is like killing the ZiG currency. Mugano suggests Zimbabwe should go back to using USD only and bring back the ZiG later when everything is ready. Another economist says liberalizing or controlling the exchange rate both have risks. Zimbabwe needs to be careful and make smart decisions to avoid making things worse. The central bank devalued the ZiG by 40% on September 27, but it's not clear if they will let it float freely or control it.

Floating The ZiG A Dangerous Move, Warns Mugano

Local economist Gift Mugano has warned the government against hastily banning the current multi-currency regime and making the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency the sole legal tender.
Mugano made the comments in response to calls from some sectors to eliminate the use of the United States dollar, particularly as the local currency has experienced rapid devaluation on the parallel market just five months after its introduction. Wrote Mugano:
<blockquote>
I hear repeated calls for the introduction of mono-currency in favour of ZiG (banning USD).
My 2 cents advice is that if GoZ bans the USD it will be the biggest loser because the informal sector will not dump the USD – GoZ will lose tax in USD.
Policy only works in a formal economy. In circumstances where the informal sector is so huge, IT CANNOT WORK!
Where we are, GOZ must let USD work as a mono currency &amp; work on establishing the right fundamentals for the introduction of a local currency which inter alia include:
1. Building a productive &amp; competitive economy
2. Building foreign currency reserves averaging 6 months import cover (US$4.5 billion)
3. Fiscal consolidation – reducing public debt to levels averaging 30% of GDP
4. Stable exchange rates with distortions not exceeding 10%
5. Current account surplus
6. Single digit inflation
7. Establishment of strong institutions with enough teeth to rein corruption &amp; other social ills including fostering rule of law
8. National cohesion – credible elections, elimination of toxic politics, no crackdown of opposition &amp; weaponisation of judiciary
9. Provision of critical enablers such as affordable &amp; reliable electricity, fuel, transport (road, rail &amp; air), ICT, water &amp; sanitation, health and education.
10. Confidence – if we put in place the points I raised from 1 – 9, we will ensure that there is confidence.
This is not a walk in the park. This will not happen overnight. If we are not careful, it will take us decades to have our local currency.
Already, we have travelled 27 years with currency crisis since the Black Friday of 14 November 1997!
The challenge I give to the GoZ is to undertake a comprehensive research focused on the need to understand why our currencies are failing &amp; what needs to be done.
This is critical in view of the fact that we have lost many currencies in recent years!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

In simple words, an economist named Gift Mugano is warning the government not to rush into banning the use of different currencies in Zimbabwe. He says if they only allow one currency, the government may lose out on tax money because people in the informal sector will keep using the US dollar. Mugano suggests the government should focus on fixing the economy before introducing a new local currency. He lists things that need to be done before a new currency can be successful. Mugano says it will take a long time and a lot of work to have a stable local currency in Zimbabwe.

Rushing To Ban Multi-Currency Regime Could Backfire, Warns Mugano

ZANU PF-aligned political commentator Kudzai Mutisi believes that Zimbabwe’s policymakers are conflicted, which is why they aren’t properly promoting the use of the ZiG, as it might hurt their personal interests.
In a post on X, Mutisi argued that regular people shouldn’t be blamed for the ZiG’s poor performance, as they have always supported local currencies over the years.
He claimed that it’s the policymakers who “hate” the ZiG, as shown by their refusal to sell fuel in local currency or accept ZiG for wheat.
Mutisi suggested that these policymakers likely own fuel stations and are involved in wheat farming, which is why they hesitate to accept ZiG in these sectors.
He also recommended that 90% of the people at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) should be fired, saying they can’t be trusted to support the ZiG because they were there during the Gideon Gono and John Mangudya eras, and have repeatedly failed to deliver.
Gono served as the Governor of the RBZ from 2003 to 2013. His tenure was marked by significant economic challenges, including hyperinflation and the introduction of the Zimbabwean dollar redenomination.
Mangudya succeeded Gono and served as the Governor from 2014 to 2024 when he was succeded by the incumbent, John Mushayavanhu.
Mangudya oversaw the introduction of bond notes and the reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar. Wrote Mutisi:
<blockquote>
1. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) suffers from TOXIC INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY, that’s something needing urgent attention. More than 90% of the people working at the RBZ were there during the Gono era and the Mangudya era. These people have clearly proved to be INCAPABLE, INCOMPETENT, and MANIFESTLY CORRUPT, they can’t be trusted to save the ZiG. Governor Mushayavanhu should be allowed to select a NEW TEAM, RBZ needs that.
2. The ZiG is experiencing two things: Ever increasing supply and ever decreasing demand. This is a recipe for disaster, and that’s what policymakers should be focused on. The simple question that needs an urgent answer is: What will make a Zimbabwean citizen or business ACCEPT the ZiG and KEEP IT??? This is a very simple question but the answer to this question isn’t simple, it involves implementing DRASTIC POLICY CHANGES! It requires courageous policymakers, not the current crop of lazy policymakers who take years even to adjust interest rates. They don’t have what it takes to manage a currency, more so a currency in perpetual competition with the USD.
To slow down (ZiG) money supply growth, the RBZ should increase interest rates. The 20% interest rate introduced at the introduction of ZiG was not well thought out, it was a gamble. The interest rate should be increased.
To increase demand of the ZiG, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and lnvestment Promotion should take the lead. Mthuli Ncube and George Guvamatanga have been enemies of the local currency, their love for the USD is destroying the local currency. IMTT on ZiG should be removed without delay, RBZ should drastically cut bank charges and other transaction fees, businesses should pay tax in ZiG (this will force them to accept the ZiG, keep the ZiG and to look for the ZiG), and the RBZ should introduce higher denominations for the ZiG (without enough ZiG Cash, the USD will fill the gap making it the preferred currency especially in the informal sector). Without making these changes, NOTHING and NO ONE will save the ZiG. It will collapse faster than the ZWL.
3. Introduction of a FREELY FLOATING EXCHANGE RATE will cure a lot of the problems facing the Zimbabwean economy.
Currently, formal businesses HIKED USD prices… they did so because the FORMAL EXCHANGE RATE is not a MARKET DETERMINED EXCHANGE RATE… to hedge against exchange rate losses, formal businesses hiked their USD prices… that pushes customers away and it will lead to the further collapse of the formal economy. The RBZ MUST STOP dictating the exchange rate to anyone, let businesses make their own decisions. If the RBZ wants businesses to use the Official Exchange Rate, then it should ensure that the forex market is FULLY liberalised. Markets always reject COMMANDIST policies, it will NEVER work! In fact, monetary authorities in Zimbabwe should know better.
With a Floating Exchange Rate, more people will be willing to sell their forex and even fuel dealers won’t hesitate to sell fuel in ZiG.
Dr Mangudya spent 10 years trying to dictate the exchange rate to the market AND FAILED. It’s shocking that Dr Mushayavanhu, in his wisdom or lack of it, wants to follow the same approach.
4. Ultimately, the demand for a local currency has to be created BY LAW. The ZiG has no capacity to compete against WELL ESTABLISHED and WELL MANAGED currencies like the USD… it will always lose that contest. This is why smart governments COMPLETELY outlaw the use of foreign currencies for domestic transactions. This automatically creates HUGE demand for the local currency.
In Zimbabwe, the challenge is that policymakers have CONFLICT OF INTEREST. The policymakers are farming wheat (and demanding payment in USD), they own fuel companies (and DEMAND payment in USD). It’s the policymakers who HATE the local currency, ordinary citizens in Zimbabwe have CONSISTENTLY embraced the local currency.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's policymakers don't like the ZiG currency because it might hurt their own businesses. They don't want to accept ZiG for fuel or wheat. Kudzai Mutisi thinks the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe needs new people because the current ones are not capable. To save the ZiG, interest rates should be increased and demand for the currency should be boosted. The exchange rate should float freely, without the RBZ dictating it. Zimbabweans need to use the local currency by law to make it strong. The problem is that policymakers have conflicts of interest because they own businesses that prefer USD over ZiG.

Zimbabwe's Policymakers Are Conflicted And "Hate" ZiG, Says Mutisi

Former Chivi South MP Killer Zivhu (ZANU PF) has derided the country’s gold-backed currency, the ZiG, claiming it has caused significant problems for Zimbabweans due to its rapid devaluation.
In recent days, social media platforms have been flooded with price stickers from supermarkets, revealing sharp increases in the cost of basic grocery items since the currency’s launch in April 2024.
For example, a 2-litre bottle of cooking oil, initially priced at around ZiG42, now exceeds ZiG70 in some stores, despite the official exchange rate changing by less than ZiG1.
These price hikes suggest that retailers are relying on the street rate, which is reportedly above US$1: ZiG20.
In a post on X, Zivhu mocked the ZiG, comparing it to petrol mixed with ethanol, which some motorists claim is of poor quality and lacks durability. Said Zivhu:
<blockquote>
Pakuda 50kg ye headache tablets kuti ukwanise kushandisa ZIG, ukarega unofa ne BP, ukapinda mu Shop ne ZIG rinopera fast kunge ethanol yatinotengeserwa tichinzi petrol, zvinhu zvacho masaramusi chete. (You need 50kg of headache tablets to be able to use ZIG, if you stop, you’ll die from BP. If you enter the shop with ZIG, it disappears fast like the ethanol sold to motorists as petrol, the stuff is just rubbish)
</blockquote>
Zivhu’s sentiments were backed by an economist, Professor Gift Mugano, who tagged government apologist Mmatigari in his comment. Mmatigari responded:
<blockquote>
So Killer Zivhu is your think tank on currencies? You are disappointing.
</blockquote>
Mugano then said Zivhu’s comments should not be ignored as he is one of the most progressive Zimbabweans”, who lives with the people and is a consumer. Wrote Mugano:
<blockquote>
[Killer Zivhu] is one of the most progressive Zimbabwean I admire. He is real. He lives with the people. He is a consumer. In this particular case of the ZiG, he gave his own experience as a consumer. If you don’t respect him/like him, that is your problem.
Zvenyu zvekungohumana izvo and carry venomous mouth everywhere hazvivaki nyika.
I submitted grounded solutions on what must be done to make ZiG succeed (check my previous posts which I posted in April). What did you do, you led a battalion of vasvasvangi on me. After I noticed that you rejected my well thought advice, I told you that ZiG will not survive.
Here we are. How is the ZiG performing? It’s a dismal performance. Companies are closing and consumers are suffering.
We have gone through 27 years of currency crisis, that is, from 14 November 1997 (the black Friday when the Zimbabwe dollar crashed). Over these years, you haven’t learnt anything as far as the drivers of the currency crisis are concerned?
If not please learn to engage in a constructive and meaningful conversation so that you can learn from experts in the field tichivaka nyika. Zimbabwe is for us all.
There are no designated shops/hospitals for the ruling party supporters nor opposition supporters. We go into the same shops/hospitals tichisvasvangwa ne economy tese.
Learn or perish
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Killer Zivhu, a former MP, criticized the new ZiG currency in Zimbabwe, saying it is causing prices to go up too quickly. He compared it to bad petrol that disappears fast. An economist named Professor Gift Mugano agreed with Zivhu and said his experience as a consumer should be taken seriously. He also urged people to learn from experts and have constructive conversations about the currency. Many people are unhappy with the ZiG currency and how it is affecting the economy and people's lives.

50kg Of Pills Needed To Cure Headache Caused By ZiG - Killer Zivhu

UK-based Zimbabwean lawyer, Brighton Mutebuka, says former Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has been vindicated for pursuing a strategy of “strategic ambiguity.”
This approach involved keeping the party’s structure and leadership organisation deliberately vague and amorphous.
Chamisa aimed to make it difficult for opponents to infiltrate the party or target specific individuals, and to protect the CCC from internal and external threats.
By not having a clear leadership hierarchy or a formal constitution, Chamisa sought to obscure the party’s inner workings and make it challenging for adversaries to fully understand the CCC’s operations.
Chamisa’s critics, however, argued that this strategy allowed him to maintain personal control over the party, leading to a lack of transparency and accountability.
The emergence of Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed to be the party’s interim secretary-general, and the subsequent recall of dozens of CCC Members of Parliament and Councillors, have been blamed on the “strategic ambiguity” approach.
However, Mutebuka believes that this strategy exposed senior party figures who were allegedly undermining Chamisa and working for the ruling ZANU PF party. Mutebuka posted on X:
<blockquote>
Strategic Ambiguity Revisited
1. Without the much-maligned “Strategic Ambiguity” by Nelson Chamisa’s critics, your Mafumes, Ncubes, Hwendes and others would have held legitimate and formal posts.
2. They would have declared what on paper would have appeared like a legitimate &amp; bona fide split of CCC.
3. Such a split would have appeared credible, meaning some opposition supporters would have genuinely believed them &amp; the grievances that they would have identified as the cause of the split.
4. At this point in time, Chamisa has now been emphatically vindicated.
5. That’s because, it’s now clear even to his worst critics that he had been surrounded by regime infiltrators, collaborators &amp; apologists hitherto masquerading as genuine opposition politicians.
6. The strategy has acted as a political sieve, by exposing the political mercenaries in his midst.
7. That has in turn given him the best possible chance to undertake a successful political reset by rebuilding his political spaceship anew free from political contamination.
8. He is now clearly free from some of the political junk he inconveniently inherited from Alliance Project.
9. As we have now discovered, that “Orbital Junk” was outwardly laden with name &amp; brand recognition while inwardly hollow &amp; conspiratorial Brutus like.
10. The infiltration won’t stop, so strong &amp; effective round the clock measures have to be taken to address this scourge on an ongoing basis.
11. Chamisa’s reputation suffered immensely as Strategic Ambiguity was roundly condemned from a democracy &amp; good governance standpoint.
12. He lost the narrative battle but won the war &amp; had the last laugh. Now he can rebuild, incorporating the lessons he has learnt, balancing between democratic &amp; Strategic imperatives!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Nelson Chamisa was criticized for not having clear leadership in his party, but now people see it was a good plan. By keeping things secret, he protected his party from enemies. Some members claimed to have leadership roles, causing chaos in the party. But this exposed those who were not loyal. Chamisa's reputation suffered, but in the end, he won. Now, he can start fresh and be smarter about who he trusts. It's important for him to keep out people who don't really support his party.

Chamisa's "Strategic Ambiguity" Approach Paid Off - Mutebuka

Harare mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, has been criticised for attending a ZANU PF indoctrination programme at the party’s Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.
Mafume is among a group of mayors, chairpersons, councillors, and staff from 92 local authorities across the country who attended the two-day training session at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare.
The training was conducted by Munyaradzi Machacha, the principal of the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology and ZANU PF’s National Political Commissar, on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
However, the mayors of Bulawayo, David Coltart, and his deputy, Edwin Ndlovu, did not attend the training. Instead, the city’s Town Clerk and Finance Director attended in their place.
Former CCC MP Job Sikhala, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), suggested that the opposition councillors attending the training may be motivated by greed. He wrote:
<blockquote>
There are more important things in life than money and power. No amount of silver and gold should persuade you to sacrifice your values and principles to be dragged to the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, to be brainwashed with some redundant ideology.
The ideology that is anti-people, promotion of the persecution of those in disagreement with that moribund ideology and intolerance of opponents of the establishment!
</blockquote>
Hopewell Chin’ono, a prominent government critic, was more blunt in his assessment of Mafume’s attendance at the ZANU PF ideological training.
Chin’ono accused Mafume of “treachery” saying he is now serving his own interests and those of the ruling ZANU PF party. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
Harareans rejected ZANU PF in toto, but here you are, Mayor, using taxpayers’ money to attend an ideological indoctrination workshop at a ZANU PF indoctrination school!
I wouldn’t blame anyone who argues that you are no longer serving the interests of the residents of Harare, you are now serving your own interests and those of ZANU PF!
I can’t imagine that you would leave your office for the whole day to go to a ZANU PF indoctrination school when your residents have no clean drinking water!
It is just irresponsible for any opposition-elected mayor to do such a reckless thing! You have insulted the residents of Harare.
They are powerless because everything in Zimbabwe is captured, but at this point, it is fair to say you don’t represent them anymore!
… History will never forgive you for this treachery Jacob, you have betrayed the residents of Harare.
Our country is broken both politically and economically because of ZANU PF, yet you see it fit to not only go to a ZANU PF indoctrination school but to also use our money as Harareans attending this rubbish!
If Harareans had a way to remove you they would, but of course, ZANUPF courts will protect you, I am disappointed in not only your irresponsible actions, but in you too!
You have undermined the democratic process by participating in a ZANUPF indoctrination workshop while serving as an opposition mayor, you have “legitimised” the ruling party’s authoritarian tactics.
Long live David Coltart, the Mayor of Bulawayo, for rejecting this nonsense!
</blockquote>
Mafume is a member of the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) and was re-elected as the mayor of Harare following the 2023 general elections.
His re-election came after Sengezo Tshabangu controversially recalled his two predecessors, Ian Makone and Lovejoy Chitengu.
Tshabangu, known for unilaterally recalling scores of CCC MPs and Councillors, defended the mandatory two-day ideological training, describing it as a positive initiative aimed at building the capacity of councillors and aligning local governance with national policies.
The Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology is named after Herbert Chitepo, a prominent nationalist and former chairperson of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU).
The school focuses on topics such as patriotism, national security, and the history of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare mayor Jacob Mafume went to ZANU PF training, some people are not happy. They say he is betraying the opposition. Other mayors did not go. Critics say Mafume is serving his own interests, not the people. They think it's wrong for him to go to ZANU PF training. But some say the training is good for learning about important things. The training is about the history of Zimbabwe and being loyal to the country. Some people are mad at Mafume for going. They think he should focus on helping the people of Harare instead.

Mafume Slammed For Attending ZANU PF Ideological Training

South African-based ZANU PF supporter Kudzai Mutisi has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to dismiss Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Mthuli Ncube, along with the Ministry’s permanent secretary George Guvamatanga and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mushavayanhu, for allegedly undermining the new ZiG currency.
Launched in April 2024, the ZiG was presented by the government as a “structured currency” backed by 2.5 tonnes of gold and other minerals, including diamonds. However, the value of the ZiG has steadily declined on the parallel market due to ongoing foreign currency shortages.
In a post on X, Mutisi accused the Treasury and Central Bank leaders of being “the biggest saboteurs of ZiG,” labelling them as “lazy and indecisive.” Said Mutisi:
<blockquote>
The biggest saboteurs of ZiG are at the RBZ and Ministry of Finance, very lazy and indecisive folks… 5 months after introducing ZiG, they have done NOTHING to make it the preferred currency.
They FAILED to do the basics, it’s not enough to say it’s “gold backed”, in fact, that’s UNNECESSARY. Simple things could give ZiG a huge boost:
1. Avail larger denominations: Folks like Persistence Gwanyanya make ridiculous arguments that larger denominations create inflation YET the ZWL collapsed without them, yet there are US$100 notes circulating in Zim… Without enough ZiG cash, the US$ fills that lacuna and that’s foolishly promoting US$ use. Avail ENOUGH CASH!
2. Mthuli Ncube, in his lack of wisdom, continues to tax electronic transactions. Since there is no enough ZiG cash in circulation, people escape these punitive taxes by using US$ cash. The IMTT tax should be removed and RBZ should slash bank charges. That will be an effective way of promoting the ZiG.
3. There are still lots of USD ONLY transactions, and there is no desire to gradually reduce them… 5 months after the introduction of ZiG, there has been a gradual increase in USD-only transactions.
4. Guvamatanga and Ncube aren’t keen on demanding taxes in ZiG…. Companies have no reason to accept ZiG or look for ZiG since Treasury is more interested in collecting USD taxes…
</blockquote>
Mutisi urged Mnangagwa to appoint competent individuals at the RBZ and the Ministry of Finance, stating, “… you can’t have PhD holders who fail to do basic things, those are toxic people undermining the country for their own personal interests.”
He contended that Ncube, Guvamatanga, and Mushayavanhu are aware of the necessary steps to promote the use of ZiG but are unwilling to act if it threatens their interests.

A ZANU PF supporter wants President Mnangagwa to fire three top officials for not supporting the ZiG currency backed by gold. The supporter thinks they are lazy and indecisive. He says they are not doing enough to make ZiG the main currency. He wants larger ZiG notes, no taxes on electronic transactions, and companies to pay taxes in ZiG. He believes the officials know how to make ZiG work but choose not to. The supporter wants Mnangagwa to replace them with competent people who care about the country.

ZANU PF Activist Urges Mnangagwa To Fire Mthuli, Mushayavanhu And Guvamatanga For Undermining ZiG

UK-based Zimbabwean lawyer Brighton Mutebuka has come to the defence of former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, who has faced significant criticism on social media in recent days.
High-profile figures, including journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and academic Ibbo Mandaza, have suggested that Chamisa might have been bribed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Together with self-exiled former ZANU PF Politburo member Savior Kasukuwere’s ally, Ali Naka, they have called for Chamisa to publicly announce his retirement from politics to make way for another opposition candidate, even threatening to “expose” him.
In a post on X, Mutebuka claimed that the allegations against Chamisa originated from his former close ally, Chalton Hwende. Wrote Mutebuka:
<blockquote>
SADC Summit and Beyond – The Smear Campaign To Delegitimise Nelson Chamisa
1. As previously stated, I have tried to get to the bottom of the rumours that were swirling on X yesterday suggesting that Chamisa’s perceived inaction in the aftermath of the stolen August 2023 elections was due to being “bought” by the regime.
2. The innuendos relating to this were mainly circulated by Victor, the X character known as Ali Naka &amp; discredited journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono amongst others, on the X accounts.
3. The insinuation was that they had explosive evidence at the ready which confirmed that Chamisa had corruptly accepted bribes from the regime &amp; thus been compromised so as to literally upend the democratic struggle for the benefit the regime.
4. The good Prof Ibbo Mandaza was also, unfortunately, a victim of the sophisticated Russian-style disinformation campaign timed to perfection – in the immediate aftermath of ED’s coronation at the SADC Summit in Harare – which was a painful blow to swallow to the opposition movement.
5. The well-coordinated campaign was very effective in making the saga trend. In the end, I resolved to get to the bottom of it by seeking to establish the source of the campaign &amp; the motive behind it.
What Emerged From My Research – Source Of The Rumour(s)
a. At least 5 well-placed sources identified Chalton Hwende as the source of the allegations.
b. The sources further stated that Hwende did not only level accusations of financial impropriety against Chamisa.
c. I will not address the other allegation that was made, of a personal nature and extremely hurtful.
d. The sources stated that the allegations were shared with Ali Naka and discredited journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, amongst others.
e. It was confirmed to me that there was no iota of evidence to support the long-shot allegation that a local Law Firm had secretly stored the “stash.”
f. The sources stated that there are current behind-the-scenes manoeuvres at forging “unity” &amp; returning to the banner of the old MDC which has sucked in Mwonzora, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Hwende &amp; others – with all of them being united by the idea that Chamisa is the main obstacle – which would then open grounds for an Détente with ED’s regime.
g. The sources further stated that Hwende &amp; others are conspiring to ensure that Nelson Chamisa never appears on Zimbabwean ballot papers again – including helping to cause his arrest by the regime if was felt necessary.
h. An alleged Nigerian kingpin who Hopewell &amp; Hwende allegedly said had paid both Hwende &amp; Chamisa, a certain Peters – who is allegedly ED’s runner apparently fell out with Hwende sometime in 2021 &amp; had actually been Hwende’s business partner.
i. It was stated that the scope &amp; breadth of Hopewell’s motivations are many and varied, including the possibility of entertaining launching his own solo political career.
j. Additionally, in addition to these 5 sources – over the past 2 years other sources have disclosed that Hopewell has got an exceptionally close relationship with the First Lady – who is a former intelligence operative herself.
Motives Behind The Allegations
1. Some of the sources stated that they believe that the strategy was to wage a disinformation campaign by whipping opposition supporters into an anti-Chamisa frenzy &amp; delegitimising him as an opposition stalwart.
2. Craft a convincing narrative to account for the implosion in CCC which shifts the blame away from Hwende &amp; others – which is the current situation – to Chamisa.
3. To emphatically destroy Chamisa as a political force for good, through severely denting his image and integrity – and creating a compelling &amp; corrupt link between the inaction after the elections &amp; the reason for that inaction.
4. For Hwende &amp; his cabal to personally cleanse themselves of the stigma surrounding their current dalliances with the regime and the fallout with Chamisa amongst opposition supporters.
5. It was said that such a development would, in the eyes of the plotters, engineer a soft landing for them to be welcomed by rank &amp; file opposition supporters across the country – with it being notable that none have so far had the temerity to undertake such rallies.
6. It was stated that the intention was to pave the way, so to speak – banking on the fact that some opposition supporters could be gullible.
Key Points To Note
i. It is significant that none of the shady characters in the form of the notorious Russian-style social media agitator 
Ali Naka &amp; Hopewell Chin’ono – who is more of a political activist than a Journalist, has put forward any explicit or compelling evidence corroborating their sensational &amp; deeply irresponsible allegations.
ii. All they have done is deploy blackmail via threatening to disclose the information – a classic tool usually employed by professional character assassins/mandarins or Czars.
iii. Such a strategy is deadly when no such evidence exists. Intelligence assets are also prone to employing it – as the tantalising threat will be more appealing to the public, and is thus attention-grabbing.
iv. This will allow it to gain credence &amp; circulation via amplification up to the point that it will appear authentic &amp; thus become agenda-shaping.
v. In the current situation, the combined X platforms of Hopewell &amp; Victor / aka Ali Naka have got close to a million followers across the world.
vi. Working the X algorithm – impressions wise, they have reached an audience of several million and made the saga trend while shifting the opinions of many on the Zimbabwean political landscape &amp; beyond.
vii. As you can see, it’s an effective disinformation campaign. No one will be held accountable. No evidence will be presented, and a restive population has been manipulated.
viii. The agitators have partially succeeded in discrediting Chamisa while offering no practical solutions themselves in addressing the political crisis pursuant to creating a vacuum that they deludedly think can either exploit themselves – or by default help the regime to do it.
ix. Where the strategy has been perfectly executed is in combining excellent timing – in the immediate aftermath of the SADC Summit, where ED emerged triumphant &amp; opposition supporters despondent – and the weaponisation of Chamisa’s “Bible Verses”, in the face of inaction. The agitators had their perfect scapegoat!
x. Once the passions had been stirred enough, reason evaporated. Multitudes were ripe enough to gullibly accept that millions of US dollars could fall into Chamisa’s hands – and such a windfall could secretly be transacted &amp; known by Hwende &amp; others for so long without any paper trail, picture, image and the regime getting wind of it &amp; arresting him &amp; splashing the evidence in the media a la Pious Ncube?
xi. Much more importantly, if ED has successfully compromised Chamisa, why does he need the Tshabangu charade to do this bidding?
xii. Finally, there is the small matter of the hollow brand of politics that Hwende &amp; his cabal have been transacting since they parted their ways with Chamisa. So timid have they been in opposing ED that to the discerning – they are much more likely to be the primary reason for why demos were never on the menu while Chamisa was still at the helm of CCC!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Brighton Mutebuka defended Nelson Chamisa against bribery accusations. Some people said Chamisa was bribed by President Mnangagwa. They want Chamisa to quit politics. Mutebuka said the accusations came from Chalton Hwende. The goal was to damage Chamisa's reputation and support. The accusers didn't have proof of bribery. They used social media to spread lies. Mutebuka said the accusers wanted to cover their own wrongdoings. They wanted to discredit Chamisa. But their plan didn't have evidence and was just a smear campaign. Chamisa's supporters were tricked.

Mutebuka Stands Up For Chamisa Amid Bribery Allegations

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has criticised opposition leader Nelson Chamisa for calling for “proper elections” in Zimbabwe, arguing that holding elections without reforms is a waste of time.
In response to Chamisa’s comments, Chin’ono stated that elections “don’t work when dealing with a political thug like crookED Emmerson”, apparently referring to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chamisa lamented that since the disputed 2023 harmonized elections, Zimbabweans have not experienced normalcy or peace, as scores of activists have been detained on what some commentators have described as trumped-up charges. Wrote Chamisa on X:
<blockquote>
ZIMBABWE MUST HAVE PROPER ELECTIONS AND FIX BROKEN POLITICS
Following the discredited, illegal and disputed 2023 General Elections, Zimbabweans have not known normalcy or peace.
As of now, 78 families and a one-year-old child are without their loved ones. This is because the 78 political prisoners held different political views and dared to express themselves and exercise their freedom of association.
On the 16th of June 2024, these political prisoners were celebrating Africa Youth Day before being forcibly taken to prison where they remain 45 days later.
In addition, the families of Namatai Kwekeza (a human rights defender), Samuel Gwenzi (Civil society), Robson Chere (trade unionist), Promise Munkuli and Vusimuzi Moyo are without their loved ones for no reason other than their association with wanting a better Zimbabwe, advocating for women, young people, workers and speaking out against injustices.
Robson Chere’s family and friends are faced with the additional burden of fearing for his health given the injuries sustained during his arrest. Robson only wants better for the workers who sustain Zimbabwe.
The family of Bruce Moyo, a young Councillor from Bulawayo is without him because of exercising his political freedom of association as a young citizen and council representative.
Many other people (young and old) are spending nights in the prison cells after being taken abruptly and brazenly for no crime but being targets for simply exercising their constitutional freedom of association.
In Zimbabwe, being an active conscious citizen and being young has become a crime. The citizens, especially the young people, are persecuted for their beliefs and for wanting better lives. 
In Zimbabwe, it has been turned criminal to be young. 
This assault and onslaught on the citizens is a clarion call for unity across the political divide to condemn and rebuke these violations, violence and injustice.
Fellow citizens of SADC and all African countries, this can’t be civilized politics. This is bizarre, and abnormal and must be condemned by all progressives across the world.
</blockquote>
Responding to Chamisa’s calls for “proper elections” in Zimbabwe, Hopewell Chin’ono argued that the country’s “broken politics” cannot be mended “through bogus elections” alone.
Instead, Chin’ono suggested that some other means are required to address the fundamental issues. Wrote Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
We have been talking about elections for the past 24 years, but they don’t work when dealing with a political thug like crookED Emmerson!
Leaders should stop sanitising corrupt rule by repeating the same ineffective strategies of going into choreographed elections!
The only thing elections have provided is a few jobs for opposition members who go to Parliament, fight for cars and salaries, and collect kickbacks from crookED Emmerson as they did with the US$40,000 which I personally exposed in 2022!
Any attempt to railroad citizens into yet another rigged election without reforms will be condemned, and anyone attempting to do so should not complain when we say they are on crookED Emmerson’s payroll!
Nobody will ever be able to fix the broken politics through bogus elections, we must now use other means to deal with crookED Emmerson, elections are not one of those ways!
If there is another election without reforms, we will condemn anyone who gets involved in them and tell our people to stay home.
Let crookED Emmerson contest fake and rigged elections with his poodles!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Hopewell Chin'ono is saying that having elections in Zimbabwe without changing the way things work is a waste of time. He thinks that the current leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is not fair, so just having elections won't help. Nelson Chamisa also thinks that things are not right since the last elections. Many people are in jail just for speaking up. Chin'ono says that having more elections without fixing the real problems won't change anything. He says other ways are needed to make things better in Zimbabwe. So, having another election without changes won't help, according to Chin'ono.

Elections Without Reforms A Waste Of Time - Chin'ono

Economist Gift Mugano has warned that the Zimbabwean economy is rapidly approaching a crisis similar to the one experienced in 2008 when the country’s GDP growth plummeted to -17.7% and the Zimbabwean dollar became virtually worthless.
Reacting to the Mid-Term Budget Review Statement presented to parliament on Thursday by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube, Mugano stated that the Treasury boss should consider introducing a supplementary budget to address the financial shortfall caused by the depreciation of the local currency.. Wrote Mugano on X:
<blockquote>
<h2>The mid-term budget review exposed economic rot</h2>
Forget about nice phrases from my esteemed brother [Mthuli Ncube] – consolidating stability…There is nothing to consolidate. The economy is in a dire situation. The economy going towards the graveyard. We are fast approaching 2008.
These are the facts:
1. Contribution of IMTT to total revenue fell drastically from about 16% in 2019 to 3.4% in 2024 – signifying deepening informality and collapse of the formal economy;
2. Percentage of people employed in the informal sector increased from 75.6% in 2019 to 87.7% in December 2023 – signifying deepening informality and the collapse of the formal economy. @MthuliNcube in the NDS1 was targeting to reduce informal employment to 70% (i.e., increasing formal employment to 30%) by 2025. Right now formal employment is sitting at 11.3%;
3. Youth unemployment is standing at 3.5 million – 3.5 million young people are unemployed. The majority of the youths are drug addicts.
4. National debt has ballooned to US$20.8 billion (ZiG287.2 billion/13.78) up from US$18.73 in 2023, i.e., a staggering US$2 billion increase;
5. Close to 50% of the population is living in extreme poverty.
6. Both the education and health sectors are in intensive care units.
7. Close to 25% of the children under 5 are suffering from stunting growth – future generation &amp; human capital is threatened;
8. Businesses executives tell me that they are failing to access forex from banks with some securing 5-10% of their forex requirement notwithstanding the assurances given by the @ReserveBankZIM
9. Exchange rates are running away – we hear banks are using rates averaging ZiG22.30/US$1 while parallel market rates are hovering around ZiG24/US$1.
10. Aggregate demand is plummeting – mari haisi kubatika or kutenderera – which is now a common statement in the market.
Until GOZ and all stakeholders in the ecosystem of policymaking confess the truth about the state of the economy, we will sleepwalk into 2008.
In view of the fact that the Honourable Minister of Finance didn’t table a supplementary budget, the following question is pertinent:
Official exchange shot from ZWL6000/US$1 (i.e. at the time you presented the 2024 budget in Nov 2023) to ZWL33,882 (now equivalent to ZiG13.52) as of 5 April 2024. Resultantly, the national budget which was equivalent to +US$9 billion when it was presented (under assumption of stable exchange rates) was eroded to US$1.68 billion. Isn’t this enough reason to do a supplementary budget?
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's economy is in big trouble again, like in 2008. A famous economist named Gift Mugano said that the economy is getting worse. The government's budget is not enough, and many people are suffering. Lots of people are losing their jobs and living in poverty. The country's debt is growing, and children are not getting proper healthcare and education. The value of money is dropping, and businesses are struggling. Mugano warned that if things don't change, Zimbabwe could face a crisis like in 2008.

Zimbabwe's Economy Going Towards The Graveyard - Mugano

Political analyst Brighton Mutebuka asserts that a push by some of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s supporters for him to remain in office beyond the conclusion of his second term in 2028 will not come to fruition unless there is a flagrant violation of the National Constitution. Wrote Mutebuka:
<blockquote>
<h2>Complications Arising From The “EDNgaarambe Achingo Tonga” Slogan!</h2>
1. Zimbabwe’s Constitution says it can’t. ED’s term has to end in 2028. There is no Constitutional provision that allows its extension/amendment &amp; allows him to benefit from it.
2. Whatever he is trying to do, it will be unconstitutional, even if he succeeds in doing it.
3. The November 2017 coup was only successful because Chiwenga had control of the Army and managed to unleash it &amp; tanks on the streets, there was national &amp; international consensus that Bob was old, potentially physically &amp; mentally incapacitated, had overstayed, had to go &amp; Grace Mugabe was unhinged &amp; could not succeed him.
4. Catriona Laing, the ex-British envoy was also highly instrumental in immobilising British, EU &amp; regional opposition to the coup – while selling ED as business-oriented, not an ideologue &amp; someone they could work with when re-setting relations &amp; bringing Zim back from pariah status, which ensured that there was a lot of goodwill when ED assumed power.
5. Chiwenga clearly put his neck on the line to topple Robert Mugabe. It is common cause that he feels entitled to succeed ED to reap the mother of all dividends from that desperately dicey enterprise.
6. From a personal ambition point of view, it is plainly the case that he stands to lose the most from any interruption to the current Constitutional processes.
7. He will feel that he has been patient, tolerant and respectful enough.
8. Due to his lengthy ties to the deep state which potentially rivals those of ED, he will likely routinely receive his own intelligence concerning ED’s plans well ahead of time.
9. Again just like ED, he will likely have sufficient clout/influence /reach within the very belly of the deep state to scuttle ED’s plans.
10. ED’s grave miscalculation stems from his failure to appreciate that the pursuit of a 3rd term immediately triggers a risk of a direct confrontation with Chiwenga for interrupting his “Great Expectations.”
11. It is that potential confrontation which presents an existential threat to both of them due to the uncertainty which arises from a complex array of the variables involved.
12. It’s essentially a no-holds-barred, explosive winner-takes-all all duel with an uncertain outcome. There is so much at stake being gambled for so little in return.
13. As the “winner” will be engulfed in illegitimacy, unlike November 2017, they will not be accepted nationally, regionally &amp; internationally.
14. All roads are then likely to lead to a negotiated settlement guaranteed by regional/international bodies.
15. However, if Chiwenga prevails, (depending on how he does this), he can potentially constitutionally lay claim to the “throne” on the basis that he presents a continuation of the previous regime.
16. That can only be a feasible prospect if he somehow ejects ED’s current “checkmate” at the Constitutional Court in the form of Malaba as litigation will clearly be inevitable in such a situation!
17. Again if Chiwenga prevails, he has got no option but to distance his regime as far away from ED’s as possible – and take the João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço GColIH’s approach (Angolan President &amp; Dos Santos’s successor from the same ruling party) to sanitise his then new regime’s own reputation from the current stench.
18. Such an approach presents a huge risk to ED, his family and acolytes – and potentially informs the current reluctance to give up power.
19. I am tempted to conclude that if ED had full confidence that Chiwenga would protect him &amp; any ill-gotten wealth he has amassed after exiting power, we would not be seeing these current shenanigans.
20. Regardless of how this pans out, there can be no doubt that ED is testing Chiwenga’s soul &amp; cojones to the fullest extent humanly possible!
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Everything else we are currently seeing is collateral damage in this vicious and highly dangerous power struggle. The political intrigue is certainly gathering momentum.
At the moment, it’s still delicately hanging just on the margins of the political shadows, finely poised and too early to tell who lands the fatal &amp; decisive blow, how &amp; when. But make no mistake …. it’s coming!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa may not be able to stay in power beyond 2028 according to the Constitution. There is a power struggle between Mnangagwa and Vice President Chiwenga. Chiwenga wants to take over after Mnangagwa. If he succeeds, there may be a negotiated settlement. But if Chiwenga prevails, he will distance himself from Mnangagwa's regime. Mnangagwa is reluctant to give up power because he may lose his wealth and safety. The political intrigue is intense and dangerous. It's unclear who will come out on top in this battle for power.

Complications Arising From The "ED Ngaarambe Achingotonga" Slogan - Mutebuka

Former Member of Parliament Eddie Cross, who is also President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biographer, has criticised the high levels of corruption in both the Zimbabwean government and private sector.
In a post on his website, Cross asserted that this level of corruption cannot be allowed to continue.
Cross also criticised the exorbitant taxes that Zimbabweans are required to pay, particularly the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on foodstuffs and the 30% VAT tax on live cattle sales.
Furthermore, Cross claimed that the young people rioting in Nairobi, Kenya, sparked by a now-shelved controversial finance bill, had a legitimate grievance.
He suggested that the Kenyan protesters’ actions were justified in light of the economic challenges they were facing. Wrote Cross:
<blockquote>
<h2>Serious Issues Facing Us in Zimbabwe.</h2>
I have been involved in the Zimbabwean economy for over 60 years and have seen just about everything during that period. The Federation, UDI, the liberation war, the transition to Zimbabwe, the total collapse in the years up to 2008, the MAT in 2017. In this period, we have made many mistakes, some deliberate, others just because we felt we had to and others forced on us. However, right now there are some things that need our attention!
Perhaps the first is corruption. Despite the formation of the Corruption Commission and many declarations, we still suffer from massive leakages of economic output and income. When I was in Parliament in 2012, I raised the wholesale theft of diamonds from the newly discovered Marange diamond fields. These covered nearly 100 000 hectares and in that year I estimated that we produced more carats than Botswana.
Production from this alluvial deposit started in 2006 and continues today. It was discovered by De Beers and then a small public company in London, was taken over illegally by the Ministry of Mines and then exploited by 6 companies, all linked to powerful elements in the Government, including the State President. My personal estimate is that Marange has produced nearly US$30 billion in raw diamonds since then. A third was probably absorbed in costs but the rest has disappeared. Mr Mugabe famously asked where US$15 billion had gone since mining had started. He knew the answer to that as I think he personally took US$1,3 billion.
Then the ongoing corruption in the fuel industry. This started soon after Independence with the formation of a State trading organisation for importing and distributing fuel. This was dismantled in the GNU from 2009 to 2013 by an MDC Minister but was reinstated soon after Zanu took back power in 2013. These corrupt practices peaked in 2014 to 2017 when world market prices tanked but prices in Zimbabwe were held at a higher level. During this period the President was again a major beneficiary.
Since the Second Republic, this network of corruption has largely been dismantled by the new Government, but if you are as puzzled as I am as to the hundreds of new filling stations opening up – all as independents and wonder why? I am told they are money laundering but I think there are millions of litres of fuel entering the country and not paying taxes or levies. The loss to the Exchequer must be almost as much as we spend on health each year.
Largely because the Minerals Marketing Corporation was disabled by US sanctions, under pricing of exports has become endemic. The CEO of the Corporation was killed in mysterious circumstances and I am convinced it was because he was threatening illegal or under valued exports. The murder of the head of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Authority was in similar circumstances.
Then there is the whole culture of corruption in every sector of the Governments activities. The news that a Clerk in a Ministry had used her senior signature to falsify imports of 3000 vehicles duty free, the loss to the exchequer must have been US$20 million. She has done a runner. In 2022 the State collected just US$484 million in custom duties at our borders, we imported US$1,4 billion in cars alone and over US$7 billion in all imports. Just do the math, the tax revenues should have been several times that amount.
It is well known that in certain Ministries if you want a decision of any sort, you have to pay for it. I was approached by a senior Civil Servant for a bribe to sign a letter, I said but surely that is your job. I was told ‘do you think we do this sort of thing for nothing’? I did not pay the bribe and did not get the letter. It has become a culture just as the former head of the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Agency wrote ‘it was our time to eat’.
This scrouge soon also infects the private sector. The statement by the Dubai Gold Exchange that in 2023 they bought nearly 450 tonnes of gold from informal origins in Africa. That is US$32 billion dollars’ worth, a third from Zimbabwe. No wonder we are awash in US dollars in cash. Right now, up to 700 000 small scale informal miners are out there mining gold to feed their families, that is why we do not really have a food crisis in what has been a disastrous season. But much of this huge flow of cash never comes home.
Add all this together and you can see why I argue we are a rich country, made poor by bad governance in both Government and the private sector. Just look at our informal sector, we are probably the most informalised economy in the world. That whole system does not pay taxes, does everything to avoid its obligations leaving the formal economy to support everything else.
But then also you have to try to understand why those companies who paid for foreign currency on the RBZ auctions have not been paid back after the auction was closed down. I understand all exporters are having 25 per cent of their gross export earnings liquidated, but no consequential payments in local currency are being made. How long can these vital companies to our economy survive? I simply do not understand this situation.
Surely also the State must understand that our tax system has far exceeded the level at which tax proceeds start to decline. The VAT on basic foods? Are we crazy? 30 per cent VAT tax on live cattle sales when the sellers (90 per cent rural peasants) do not have a current valid tax certificate? I think the young people rioting in Nairobi had a real case. The response by Ruto was measured and quick. We simply accept this totally unacceptable situation and go on with life as usual. Our Government needs to recognise that this situation simply cannot go on.
Eddie Cross
Harare 7th of July 2024
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Eddie Cross, who wrote about President Mnangagwa, is upset about corruption in Zimbabwe. He thinks it's too much and needs to stop. Cross also said that taxes in Zimbabwe are too high, like the 30% VAT on cattle sales. He talked about problems in mining, fuel industry, and government. He mentioned how much money is being lost because of corruption. Cross thinks the situation is very bad and can't continue like this. He believes the government needs to change things before it's too late.

"This Situation Simply Cannot Go On" - Mnangagwa's Biographer, Eddie Cross, Decries Corruption In Zimbabwe

MDC president Douglas Mwonzora has accused the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) and its Members of Parliament of assenting to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged plans to run for a third presidential term or seek an extension of his current one.
Addressing reporters in Bulawayo, Mwonzora dismissed Mnangagwa’s recent assertion that he will not seek a third term and will retire at the end of his second and final term in 2028.
Mwonzora alleged that the CCC lawmakers have tacitly approved Mnangagwa’s purported plans to remain in power beyond the constitutionally mandated two-term limit. Said Mwonzora (via <a href="https://cite.org.zw/mwonzora-alleges-ccc-mps-complicit-in-mnangagwa-third-term-agenda/">CITE</a>):
<blockquote>
The president’s party ZANU PF is talking about his presidential term ending in 2030. We know they want to extend the term of office by another term but their ZANU PF lawyers are aware that extending a term may be difficult so they want to extend the presidential term to say it is not five years but now seven years.
Most of their leaders are in agreement. This is selling out Zimbabwe’s constitution, and the people and is selfish because these MPs want to stay in Parliament for as long as possible.
Others have left their political parties to form another party, abandon it, form another one and the people who are running this project are former officers from the Border Gezi masquerading as the opposition. They are busy taking the opposition for the ride.
</blockquote>
Mwonzora substantiated his claims that CCC is heavily compromised by citing circumstantial evidence.He said:
<blockquote>
There is a legal phrase res ipsa loquitur meaning facts speak for themselves. Don’t you see they are compromised? Don’t you see they have a given Emmerson Mnangagwa two-thirds majority?
Don’t you see the leader of the CCC was quiet when the recalls were done? Right now CCC in Parliament have not spoken against the third term, I dare them to speak against the third term.
</blockquote>
Mwonzora acknowledged that during his tenure as the leader of the opposition in Parliament, he would occasionally meet with Mnangagwa and “never made a secret of it”, in contrast to the CCC leaders who have reportedly been hosted at lavish banquets at State House. He said:
<blockquote>
I would go to meet him as leader of the opposition but never, never did President Mnangagwa or his wife throw a party for me.
President Mnangagwa’s wife threw a party for the CCC MPs in the State House. What more evidence do we require?
Our brothers and sisters have been compromised and are supporting the third term, supporting the extension of the term of President Mnangagwa.
They have not spoken against a third term, they have actually agreed that Mnangagwa must extend his term. Let them come out and deny it. They have not denounced it.
</blockquote>
However, Mwonzora’s allegations against the CCC appear to be a case of the pot calling the kettle black, as he himself previously supported a constitutional amendment while he was the leader of the opposition in Parliament.
In 2021, Mwonzora defended MDC lawmakers for joining ZANU PF MPs in supporting a constitutional amendment that removed the requirement for a presidential running mate, extended the women’s quota, and removed the 70-year retirement age cap for judges.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora says CCC MPs are supporting President Mnangagwa's plan for a third term. He accuses them of selling out Zimbabwe's constitution. Mwonzora claims CCC MPs want to stay in power for as long as possible. He says CCC leaders have been hosted at State House and are not denying support for a third term. However, Mwonzora himself supported a constitutional amendment before. He defended MDC lawmakers for supporting changes to the constitution in 2021. Mwonzora's accusations against CCC may be hypocritical based on his own past actions.

Mwonzora Claims CCC MPs Support Mnangagwa's Third Term Agenda

Following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s remarks on Thursday, July, stating that the ZiG would become the sole legal tender before 2030, economist Gift Mugano offered his perspective.
Mugano stated that the government must first establish the minimum requirement for the new currency to succeed before implementing such a policy.
He also advised that policymakers should not introduce new policies on a whim, but rather listen to the needs of the market and strive to develop evidence-based, market-driven policies. Wrote Mugano:
<blockquote>
<h2>On President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Statement Regarding the Introduction of Monocurrency (i.e., ban of USD):</h2>
This week, President Mnangagwa announced that he will soon introduce ZiG as a monocurrency (i.e., in less than 2 years) if he is satisfied that ZiG is now circulating across the whole country.
Well on time before President Mnangagwa pronounces policy decision to ban the use of the USD, I thought that it is wiser that I capitalise on the President’s open-door policy [George Charamba, the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications)]and share with him my humble views on critical considerations which must be taken into account before introducing a new currency or mono-currency:
1) GOZ must develop a culture of seeing through its policies to the expiration date before making conflicting statements. For example, the pronouncements by the President that he will soon introduce ZiG as a monocurrency is in direct contradiction with the SI 218 of 2023 which extended the use of the multiple currency system to December 2030. This President’s statement, him being the AUTHORITY, will put markets into disarray and will see banks cutting back on USD lending – this will come with massive negative consequences on the economy. In the same vein, some banks with long-term loans in USD will start counting their losses – this will erode trust in government policies and confidence levels.
2) The introduction of a local currency requires basic minimum requirements such as current account surplus, fiscal consolidation (we have to reduce our debt significantly to regions averaging 30% of GDP); a highly productive economy; single-digit inflation and stable exchange rates. In reality, it is very difficult to attain all these conditions at once. However, we must strive to build a productive and competitive economy. I would like to argue that the best way to back our currency is to back it with production. We need disruptive structural policies, that is, industrial policy, agricultural policy, trade policy and energy policy &amp; energy master plan. These policies must be anchored on twin objectives, that is, import substitution and export drive.
3. The informal sector has always been and will always be a hindrance to government policies. The informal sector runs its affairs based on informal rules, not government policies. In its current state, GOZ has no capacity to rein in the informal business. We must formalise the informal sector. The best way to formalise the informal sector is to build a productive economy (see (2)) which will see some sections of the informal sector such as vending and boot economy disappearing as people move into the formal sector/secures formal jobs. Again, with a productive economy, genuine small businesses/informal sectors will remain such as distributors and, through market linkages, will be formalised. In short, we must grow the formal sector.
4. We need to build confidence. Confidence building requires critical actors such as banks and GOZ to walk the talk. Banks, for example, must provide sound banking products at affordable costs/reduce bank charges drastically. The main source of income for banks must be interest rate not bank charges! GOZ must develop evidence-based &amp; demand-driven, credible and predictable policies. Most importantly, it is my humble view that GOZ must undertake nationwide consultations which will lead to a national dialogue on currency crisis and possible remedies. The output of this dialogue should be a de-dollarisation roadmap which is built on the realities facing the country and national consensus.
When introducing a new currency or addressing the currency crisis, it is my humble view that we must be more pragmatic and inclusive in our approach. The fact of the matter is that our country has been held back by currency crisis for close to 27 years, that is, from 14 November 1997 to date and there is no sign of it ending any time soon. This means that we need to do things differently hence my foregoing submission.
As I end my submission, I would like to remind President Mnangagwa of critical events regarding currency matters in Zimbabwe:
1) In February 2009, GOZ adopted the USD as the main currency. The market dumped ZWD and introduced USD. The USD was not introduced by Patrick Chinamasa as he always claims. He was the acting Minister of Finance – he was forced by the market to adopt the USD. Here is the evidence, Chinamasa’s budget of 2009 was in quintillions of ZWD, not USD.
2) My good brother, Honourable Mthuli Ncube introduced monocurrency on 24 June 2019. On the same date, I was the first guest at StarFM on Linda Muriro on Monday and I underscored that we will return to USD in March 2020. I made repeated claims on StarFM on subsequent programmes of Linda Muriro on Monday. It came to pass. In March 2020, we went back to USD. I am raising this precedence so that we can draw lessons from history.
<h2>Lessons:</h2>
1) We must establish the minimum requirement for the introduction of the new currency if we want our currency to succeed (see my submission above).
2) When it comes to economics, the market is the best constitutional court on any economic matter. Policymakers must always listen to the needs of the market and must always endeavour to develop evidence-based and market-driven policies.
Yours Truly,
Professor Gift Mugano (Ph.D)
</blockquote>
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Economist Gift Mugano Weighs In On Mnangagwa's ZiG Currency Plans

In a small village nestled in the heart of Manicaland Province, Tarisai Ndimi wakes up before the crack of dawn to start her day.
She cooks, cleans, fetches water, takes care of younger siblings, and tends to the needs of her family before heading off to school herself.
This is the reality for many young women in Zimbabwe who bear the burden of unpaid care and domestic work.
Unpaid care and domestic work have long been seen as the responsibility of women and girls, perpetuating gender stereotypes and limiting their opportunities for education, employment, and taking up leadership positions.
This invisible labour often goes unrecognized and undervalued, leading to a cycle of poverty and inequality that disproportionately affects women and girls.
As Tarisai navigates her daily tasks, she dreams of becoming a leader in her community, of making a difference and creating positive change.
However, the weight of her domestic responsibilities is like an albatross on her shoulders, leaving her exhausted and with little time or energy to pursue her ambitions. Said Tarisai:
<blockquote>
I cannot attend after-school clubs because I must be home to start with preparations for dinner. I can only write my homework after all the household chores have been attended to which is quite late into the night.
Even if I was selected to be a prefect, I would have to forfeit the position because I can not effectively carry out my duties due to obligations at home that require my attention.
</blockquote>
For young women like Tarisai, the demands of unpaid work often come at the expense of their education. Girls may attend school irregularly or drop out entirely to meet their family’s needs.
This educational disadvantage continues into adulthood, where women are less likely to pursue higher education or vocational training, further limiting their career prospects and financial independence.
Addressing this issue requires targeted policies that support girls’ education, such as scholarships, flexible school hours, and community awareness programs that emphasize the importance of gender equality in education.
The negative impact of unpaid care and domestic work on young women’s participation in leadership and community development is evident.
They are often excluded from decision-making processes, marginalized in public spaces, and constrained by societal expectations that prioritize their domestic roles over their personal and professional aspirations. 
According to the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, even when women try to enter the workforce, unpaid domestic labour becomes a major obstacle to their access to paid work opportunities.
Although women’s inclusion into the workforce is a sign of empowerment, it leaves them with a double burden. They have to handle work responsibilities in addition to their domestic work. 
When one woman steps out of the house to work, the responsibility of domestic work falls on the other women in the house.
In nuclear families where both the partners work outside, women are still responsible for almost all house and family-related work.
According to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), women spend an average of 4 hours and 25 minutes per day on unpaid care and domestic work, while men spend an average of 1 hour and 23 minutes per day on such activities.
This means that women, on average, spend more than twice the amount of time on domestic work compared to men.
According to Sibonokuhle Buhlungu , the cluster lead for the Politics and Decision Making for the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, the invisible burden of unpaid care and domestic work has resulted in fewer women participating in leadership and decision making processes.
They spend a disproportionate amount of time on UCDW, ensuring that the household runs smoothly and fulfilling the caregiving role. Buhlungu further stated:
<blockquote>
Women are left with little or no time to contribute meaningfully to the leadership and decision-making discourse. This has led to fewer women taking up leadership positions.
</blockquote>
Furthermore, the lack of recognition and support for their unpaid labor perpetuates a cycle of poverty and disempowerment, limiting their ability to break free from traditional gender roles and achieve their full potential.
It is imperative that the systemic barriers that prevent young women from fully participating in leadership and community development be addressed and this includes recognizing and valuing their contributions in the home, providing access to education and training opportunities, and creating supportive environments that promote gender equality and empowerment.
In Zimbabwe, we have seen various women’s empowerment organizations like WICoZ advocating and pushing for a National Care Policy that will recognize and acknowledge the value, effort, and contribution of unpaid care and domestic work to women and girls.
Furthermore, if this policy is implemented, it will reduce the disproportionate burden of care work on women and girls, giving them more time to take up leadership positions and get involved in important decision-making processes.
Story contributed by Varaidzo Zhou
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The Invisible Burden: Unpaid Care And Domestic Work's Impact On Young Women's Leadership And Community Development

Self-exiled former cabinet minister, Walter Mzembi, says ZANU PF sympathiser Wicknell Chivayo, who is at the centre of a US$40 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender scam, will not be prosecuted or ostracized by the “system” but his erstwhile colleagues who turned against him are in trouble.
Chivayo’s former business partners, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu have accused him of fraudulently changing their contract with South African company Ren-Form and Better Brands to supply voting material to ZEC in the run-up to the 2023 general elections.
Chimombe and Mpofu are also suspected to have leaked Chivayo’s voice notes in which he claimed to have captured President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chivayo accuses Chimombe and Mpofu of employing advanced Artificial Intelligence to fabricate the voice note, making it appear as if he self-incriminated.
Mzembi contends that the ZANU PF Youth League and certain bureaucrats, including Information Ministry spokesperson Nick Mangwana, “punched above their weight” when they criticised Chivayo after the exposé. He wrote on X:
<blockquote>
WC (Wicknell Chivayo) is not going anywhere, the last fortnight’s episodes just helped ED to understand who is standing with him and his choices to the end. The saga assumed political dimensions steeped in factional politics.
Chivayo will be counselled and will change his engagement modus with ED to a subtle &amp; respectful distance, it’s too risky to withdraw him from association, the stakes are too high; in my books, he has the credentials of an Ambassador at Large already and his continental footprint perhaps international attests to that.
ED won’t embarrass himself or him to his colleagues that he was mixing them with the wrong James Bond so he will stand by him as some victim element of our toxic politics. It’s on public record that our politics is toxic so its a convenient explanation to other constituencies.
WC will be forgiven at least in the Zim jurisdiction but his colleagues may sing the blues as a compromise… after all, according to the system, they torched a situation they could have resolved in boardrooms and sucked in everyone else.
</blockquote>
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Wicknell Chivayo Will Be Forgiven But His Colleagues Will Suffer, Says Mzembi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been criticised for showing “desperation” during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Konstantinosky Palace in the Petrodvorets district of St. Petersburg, Strelna village, two days ago.
Mnangagwa told Putin that Western countries are consolidating their power in Zambia “in terms of security and in terms of financial support” thereby isolating Zimbabwe.
However, it is not true that the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has a base in Zambia.
Last year, Gen. Michael Langley said that the United States established an Office of Security Cooperation in Zambia but there are no plans to establish a U.S. base in the country.
He said the Office of Security Cooperation is just an office with a desk with an officer manning that desk whose mission is to keep deepening the two countries’ relationship, long-term bilateral security relationship between the United States and Zambia.
Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono said Zimbabwe is always getting played because the country’s leaders don’t know how to negotiate.
Commenting on video footage of Mnangagwa’s meeting with Putin, Chin’ono said the Zimbabwean President showed desperation in trying to engage with Russia. He wrote on social media:
<blockquote>
You don’t negotiate by selling yourself short, saying that you are lonely and that nobody in the West wants to engage with you.
This approach signals to the other side that you are desperate, revealing that you have no perceived value.
What we saw explains why Zimbabwe is always getting played, our leaders don’t know how to negotiate at all.
He should have said that the West is offering many opportunities to thaw relations, but because of our liberation history with Russia, he prefers to do business with them if they provide a good deal.
By openly stating that Zimbabwe is “desperate” for engagement with the West, the President weakened his position and gave President Putin an advantage in future negotiations.
To get the best deal, it is essential to convey a strong bargaining position and demonstrate the value that Zimbabwe brings to the table.
Highlighting the country’s historical ties with Russia was a good carrot, but emphasising the potential benefits of improved relations with the West was going to be the stick rather than revealing desperation.
What we saw in that video is a glimpse of how Zimbabwe has been sold cheaply in the last 44 years due to incompetent negotiating skills!
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa on Saturday said he reaffirmed the importance of a multipolar world to achieve air and inclusive global development. He posted on social media:
<blockquote>
I had the honour of addressing the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) alongside President Vladimir Putin.
I highlighted the importance of a multipolar world, advocating for fair and inclusive global development.
Zimbabwe stands by the philosophy of “friend to all, enemy to none,” embracing cooperation, partnerships, and investments to drive mutual growth.
I again called for the removal of illegal sanctions and sought strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and renewable energy to unlock our potential.
Together, we aim to build a just, inclusive, and prosperous world. Zimbabwe is open for business and welcomes partnerships across all sectors.
</blockquote>
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Zimbabwe's Leaders Lack Basic Negotiating Skills, Putin Will Exploit Mnangagwa's "Desperation" - Chin'ono

Veteran opposition politician David Coltart has warned that the rise of Sengezo Tshabangu to become the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament will damage the country’s standing abroad and make Zimbabweans “the laughingstock of the world”.
Tshabangu, an obscure opposition activist, wrote to Parliament and the Ministry of Local Government in October 2023, recalling several CCC MPs and Councillors.
Surprisingly, both Parliament and the Minister acted upon Tshabangu’s letters, even though he had neither held a CCC office nor been a candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Subsequently, Tshabangu recalled dozens of additional CCC councillors and MPs, with the courts endorsing his actions, effectively establishing him as the de facto leader of the opposition party. 
This week, Tshabangu changed the party’s leadership in Parliament and also appointed himself Leader of The Opposition.
This came after Parliament rescinded the appointments that were made by Jameson Timba in February this year.
Posting on X, Coltart who is also the mayor of Bulawayo (CCC), Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, said Tshabangu does not have the mandate of the opposition to be its leader in Parliament. Below is Coltart’s post in full:
<blockquote>
I am appalled by the statement made by the Speaker of Parliament yesterday that Mr Tshabangu has been recognised as the leader of the Opposition in Parliament. In my view, this act is contemptuous of Parliament itself.
At their core, all Parliaments throughout the world are meant to be representative institutions. They have been established to give the public a voice.
The whole purpose of elections is to ensure that elected MPs can enunciate the concerns and issues of those who elected them.
This is the very essence of representative democracy. It follows that the leader of the Opposition must be a person who clearly represents the interests of citizens who oppose the government of the day and who has been clearly chosen by them, either directly or indirectly, to lead them in Parliament.
In the case of Mr Tshabangu, it is clear that he only represents his own interests and at most a tiny cabal of people around him.
The facts are stark. He has never held any high office in the MDC, or any of its successors, since it was established in September 1999.
At the May 2019 MDC A Congress in Gweru, he was not elected to any office. After the formation of the CCC, he was not elected or appointed to any office. In the August 2024 general election, he was not elected to any ward or constituency.
The facts show that after the general election last year, he purported to appoint himself as SG of the CCC, and subsequently to nominate himself as a PR Senator.
He has now appointed himself as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Once again there is no evidence that this has been sanctioned by anybody other than himself.
The fact that Courts in judgments of exceptionally dubious and flawed jurisprudential reasoning have supported him in this illegal conduct does not rectify the fact that he does not represent anyone.
Other than his own say so there is no independent evidence of him being elected or appointed to these offices. In short, he represents no constituency, either directly or indirectly, and has little palpable support amongst the general electorate.
It is simply farcical for him to be presented as the Leader of the Opposition based on his own assertion. The Speaker has done both Parliament and the Nation a disservice by associating himself and Parliament with this narcissistic conduct.
It brings Parliament into contempt in the eyes of democrats and rational people both in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.
In fact, it does immense damage to Zimbabwe’s reputation internationally. Conduct like this simply would not be tolerated anywhere else in the democratic world.
Those who support this conduct need to have some serious introspection about the damage they are doing to “Brand #Zimbabwe”. All this does is make us the laughingstock of the world.
</blockquote>
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Tshabangu’s Rise Makes Zimbabwe A Laughingstock, Says David Coltart

Mmatigari, a social media personality active on X (formerly Twitter), has accused the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) of lacking empathy for the majority of citizens who are inconvenienced by the critical shortage of ZiG notes and coins.
Authorities introduced the ZiG on April 5, 2024, to replace the Zimbabwe dollar. However, there continues to be a serious shortage of ZiG notes and coins, significantly impacting the day-to-day lives of most Zimbabweans.
While supporting the introduction of the new currency as a noble idea, Mmatigari contends that the Treasury and RBZ bosses have become divorced from the daily struggles of the people, displaying a “lack of empathy” and disquieting indifference to the citizens’ plight. Below is Mmatigari’s post on X:
<blockquote>
1/ ZIG’s a brilliant idea. In fact, we must work towards dedollarising fast.
However, the intro &amp; execution of ZIG by [the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion] &amp; [the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] shows disquieting indifference &amp; absolute LACK OF EMPATHY for people by policymakers. Here is why:
2/ Millions of Zimbabweans run small businesses and earn below $300/month income. Here is the problem: In Harare, before the ZIG intro, an average kombi trip was 50c. There was change in bond notes before ZIG. This means getting into and out of town costs $1 using public transport
3/ In the first week of April, @ReserveBankZIM introduced ZIG. Suddenly, there is no way to change a dollar.
What do kombi drivers say to the commuting public? Find a partner to pair with and reconcile on your own because we don’t have change. Otherwise, the fare is $1.
4/ This sounds innocuous if you think of it as a $1. But what does that actually mean?
The ramifications are huge. The effect of this is that a trip for any commuter is at least $1.
5/ Why is this change significant? It’s huge because it’s a 100% increase in commuting costs.
Take commuters who work 6 days a week doing a round trip into town. That’s 24 days. Before April, they needed $24 a month. Now they need $48, a 100% jump.
6/What’s the meaning of that? Assume a worker at Pick n Pay earns $250 net of tax. In March, their income after commuting was $226. Suddenly because of the bumbling execution of ZIG, that employee is left with $200. If that employee has a child commuting to school, do the math.
7/ What does this mean for small businesses? An SME needs all hands on deck. Assume you have 10 employees, and before ZIG in March, you paid them a $25 transport allowance, that’s $250. In April, the allowance goes up 100% to $500 per month, wiping off your profits.
8/ I am only factoring in a round trip. Think of an employee at Pick n Pay Highland Park in Highlands who lives in Kuwadzana. The transport cost shoots up from $2 to $4, daily. That balloons the commuting costs to $96 a month.
9/ Commuting costs have doubled in a month, and we know that salaries have not doubled. What is this doing to our people? Just because the RBZ is not availing bank notes and solutions to make life convenient for our people.
People are not asking for much, just basic issues.
10/ And what’s worse? Kombis are very unlikely to bring back the commuting cost per trip to 50c even if change is made available in ZIG tomorrow.
11/ So what is this doing to inflation stats? What is this doing to small businesses and self-employed people? 
What is this doing to school kids commuting to &amp; from school from low-income households? What is this doing to civil servants? What is this doing to society in general?
12/ I have seen videos of women wrestling kombi staff to get their change back, and we know it’s a structural problem.
Why did we not think about these basic questions that affect the majority of our people DAILY. It’s now over a month plus since ZIG was introduced.
13/ Officials at the ministry of finance &amp; [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] drive cars, probably get fuel coupons, don’t know what a kombi looks like and probably don’t know who picks and drops their kids to &amp; from school.
They are VERY divorced from the daily struggles of the people. Clueless.
14/ How else can u explain such basic issues affecting millions not getting addressed over a month after ZIG’s introduction?
The only sensible explanation is an absolute lack of empathy and disquieting indifference to the people’s plight by @ZimTreasury &amp; @ReserveBankZIM officials.
</blockquote>
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ZiG Cash Shortage: Treasury, RBZ Bosses Are Clueless And Have Zero Empathy For Zimbabweans, Says Mmatigari

UK-based Zimbabwean lawyer and academic Brighton Mutebuka says Neville Sunungurai Mutsvangwa, the son of ZANU PF power couple Christopher and Monica Mutsvangwa, could be in trouble following his arrest on Wednesday.
Neville’s mother, Monica is the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development and his father, Chris, is the ZANU PF spokesperson and chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.
He appeared in court on Friday, 10 May, facing one count of contravening section 5(1)(a)(ii) of the Exchange Control Act [Chapter 22:05] as read with section 4(1)(a)(1) of the Exchange Control Regulations SI 109 of 1996 “Dealing in foreign currency”, one count of contravening the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act and another count of contravening the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, and contravening the Postal and Telecommunication Act.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Mutebuka said the timing of Mutsvangwa’s arrest could be linked to his father’s alleged fallout with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF’s succession politics. Wrote Mutebuka:
<blockquote>
1. ZANU PF isinjonjo or tamba waka chenjera, they have always said. It’s prone to eating it’s own children from time to time.
2. We know that Chris Mutsvangwa fairly recently fell out with ED, leading to his unceremonious exit from Cabinet, while his wife Monica now has a pedestrian and less prominent Cabinet role.
3. While Chris retained his portfolio in ZANU PF, he strategically went into hibernation following his fallout with ED, perhaps rightly choosing to lie low until the worst of the storm had passed.
4. In his absence, we have seen a series of damning letters bearing his signature with sensational content. ZANU PF and the regime have both labelled them fake.
5. Yet the problem is that, sometimes ZANU PF can be engulfed in hysteria and paranoia, particularly in situations mired with succession politics.
6. You really do not know whether some in the party or regime can start to be doubtful or suspicious. To make matters worse, it’s not yet clear whether or not Chris has patched things up with ED, although he appeared to be on the way to doing so.
7. Enter this Neville arrest incident &amp; Monica Mutsvangwa’s leaked audio, which would appear to suggest that she was rattled by this development.
8. Perhaps Neville picked the worst possible moment for his moment of sheer folly – recklessly displaying a WhatsApp status capable of being construed as showing defiance &amp; contempt via showing his current $ZiG v US$ rate at a time the regime is nervously &amp; desperately trying everything to shore up the beleaguered currency’s value.
9. That clumsiness/immaturity/recklessness probably converged with an uncompleted patching-up process between Chris &amp; ED and elements in the regime who still had unfinished business with Chris went Voila! takubatira pano!
10. It is a combination of unfinished business &amp; conspiracies surrounding succession politics which potentially spells doom for Neville.
11. By the looks of things, the regime has been aware of Neville’s shenanigans for some time. Typical of the regime, it lets you relax …. appearing not to take notice of this until such a time you cross its path like he has now done, before proceeding to throw the book at the presumed villain mercilessly!
12. And so it seems that via that lengthy charge sheet and the customary denial of bail before the weekend usually reserved for the regime’s worst critics, we can fathom that Neville could be in for a chastening experience pursuant to sending a chilling message to his garrulous &amp; indiscrete father.
13. Monica would not get rattled unless she felt she had cause to via intuition, premonition or a sense of foreboding from either the rumour mill, recent events or muscle memory over how ZANU PF politics has been conducted over the years.
14. Then there is the question of who recorded &amp; leaked that audio and for what purpose. This has to have been someone who had access to her, an insider who was trusted, or the regime simply calculated that once told of the arrest, she would be unable to resist the “nibble” and download to a “trusted ally” and then proceeded to intercept the call.
15. Leaking the call would serve the purpose of broadcasting her palpable fear and insecurities while also exposing her distrust of the regime – and casting her and Chris as outsiders, and not the courtiers/insiders they had been perceived as since the rise of the Vene Kingdom.
Conclusion
Early days but the omens do not look good for Chris and his family in the Vene Kingdom. Clouds appear to be darkening and vultures appear to be settling, but we are not quite there yet.
You see, strange things always tend to happen in politics. Sometimes you smell these things. You can sense a relationship that is rupturing or falling apart at the seams.
You see, some relationships are so profound in nature and character that, even a minor dislocation to the established equilibrium is not capable of being reconstituted – at least not easily or quickly.
Dislocation can cause annoyance – which is reparable, or it can result in a catastrophic loss of trust or connection, or safe space/bubble or treasured ‘dynamic’ and suddenly everything feels off!
That could be where Chris &amp; his family are at a most delicate moment in the succession battle, casting them as outsiders and deserving of the treatment which should be meted out to “enemies”!
All should be revealed in the next few weeks. We should mark out whether there is escalation or de-escalation.
Make no mistake, the longer Neville languishes in “Reeds”, the more likely it will be that it will seem like curtains for Chris, that man, whose footage merrily dancing to and singing “Kutonga Kwaro” at the HCC celebrating ED’s dramatic rise in November 2017 is indelibly etched on the nation’s psyche.
If that were to happen, such a development would be so surreal as to be violently jarring to many Zimbabweans watching the drama from the terraces.
</blockquote>
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Why Neville Mutsvangwa Could Be In Trouble - Mutebuka

Zimbabwean academic, financial analyst, and economist, Gift Mugano, has warned that goods will disappear from supermarket shelves after the government introduced rules making it mandatory for businesses to use the fixed exchange rate.
On Thursday, 09 May, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Mthuli Ncube, gazetted Statutory Instrument 81A of 2024 which penalises individuals and companies charging prices above the prevailing official foreign exchange rate.
The official exchange rate in the economy is set daily by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).
Offending firms and individuals will be fined ZiG200 000, but if the foreign currency taken in is higher in value, then the penalty equals that foreign currency.
Furthermore, the 10 per cent premium that retailers were allowed on the official exchange rates between foreign currency and the ZiG has now been abolished.
Responding to the developments, Mugano said Statutory Instrument 81A of 2024 “will definitely kill the formal businesses”. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
<blockquote>
The New Amendments to the Exchange Control is a total disaster!
Goods will disappear from the formal sector and appear in the informal sector! Unfortunately, GOZ can’t regulate or enforce compliance in the informal sector because it’s gigantic &amp; stubborn.
This gives the informal sector latitude to set own informal rules and disregard government policies/regulations.
The informal sector has the flexibility to operate at competitive exchange rates/black market rates which will definitely kill the formal businesses.
The irony is that we have been on this road before and it didn’t work! GOZ must develop a culture of carrying out impact assessments of its policies and come up with improved policies.
The informal sector is a menace and fluid – we must apply critical thinking not emotions if we are to redirect the economy on the right path.
In my previous instalments, I proffered solutions which GOZ must consider to save the ZiG but authorities ignored the advice.
It is high time that we undertake a comprehensive assessment of the root causes of our economic problems. We must never be prescriptive.
At the moment I humbly suggest that authorities stop issuing press statements and statutory instruments because it is not taking us anywhere.
Let us undertake a 360-degree investigation of our economic crisis and come up with comprehensive solutions which must include political remedies!
Otherwise, we are going nowhere.
</blockquote>
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Penalising Companies For Charging Prices Above Official Forex Rate Will Kill Formal Businesses - Mugano

Economics professor Gift Mugano has reiterated his assertion that Zimbabwe’s new currency, ZiG, will fail in response to criticism from ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa. Below is Prof Mugano’s statement in full:
<blockquote>
<h2>UNPACKING WHY THE NEW CURRENCY (ZIG) WILL FAIL</h2>
[On Monday], Honourable Mutsvangwa held a press conference and as usual, he went on a rampage calling me all sorts of names because I raised reservations about the new currency [Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)].
I thought that it is fair that I provide a breakdown of the reasons why the ZiG will fail. The ZiG will not be killed by Gift Mugano’s negativity as Amb Mutsvangwa would like to insinuate but by massive policy missteps mainly by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Treasury as well as the absence of structural policies.
<h2>1. Reducing interest rate from 130% (i.e., 10.8%/month) to 20% (i.e., 1.67%/month)</h2>
One can be forgiven for thinking that the RBZ is assuming that by backing the ZiG with gold and cutting the zeros, the ZiG is in the same league with gold and USD, hence the decision to bring down annual interest rates to 20%. The reality is that ZiG is as good as ZWL and the economic environment has remained the same, that is:
a) Volatile exchange rate – the black-market exchange rate has continued to run away – we hear that it is now trading at ZiG20 (the equivalent of ZWL$50,000) against USD;
b) Inflation remains high;
c) Our disposable incomes and aggregate demand have not increased because the zeros were cut;
d) Dwindling foreign currency supply caused by the double tragedy of declining export receipts (as a result of falling commodity prices) and draining of foreign currency as a result of food imports caused by drought.
It is my humble view that RBZ’s decision to lower interest rates is a serious policy misfiring that comes with massive consequences:
(a) Unproductive lending – any rational bank would institute measures aimed at defending its asset base from shrinking. Investment in housing development and properties stands out as the most attractive investment option. In circumstances like these, there are high chances that fewer resources will be channelled towards the productive sector. This will militate against the survival of the ZiG. Strong currencies are backed up by production – resulting in fewer imports and an increase in exports;
(b) Speculative borrowing – without contradicting with (a), for “obvious reasons” the banks will still lend the productive albeit it will be reasonably lower than in previous years. However, anyone who pounces his/her hand on this cheap money will run to the parallel market and buy forex and service the loan by capitalizing on the exchange rate spiral whilst making massive profits in the process.
<h2>2. Financing of the 25% export retentions</h2>
The RBZ will retain 25% of the exports and is supposed to credit the account of the exporter with ZiG at the prevailing rates. In subsequent points below, I logically derive the problem:
(a) If we take an average annual export receipt of US$7.5 billion, it follows that the 25% export retention is US$1.875 billion. This amount must be converted into ZiG;
(b) The Governor indicated that the total reserve money balances are around ZWL$2.6 trillion, that is, around US$80 million;
(c) The question which arises is where is the Governor going to get the money to pay for the US$1.875 billion (i.e., US$156m per month) when the ZiG equivalent in the entire banking sector amounts to US$80 million, that is, half of the monthly export retention requirement?
(d) In this puzzle, it is my humble view that there is no scope to give exporters financial instruments such as Treasury Bills (TBs) because exporters are already under dire stress as a result of falling commodity prices. The Governor will be forced to print money to fund the forex retained from exporters (i.e., US$156m per month) and destabilise the rate in the process.
<h2>3. Export retention and non-disbursement of auction funds saga</h2>
On 8 April 2024, the Governor issued Exchange control directive RZ56/2024 which declared that:
(a) Outstanding auction allotment areas which have been accumulated by the RBZ for several weeks will be converted into a 2 – year ZiG denominated investment (TBs) at the prevailing exchange rate and will earn an annual interest rate of 7.5%;
(b) All outstanding payments for the foreign currency purchased by Treasury under the 25% surrender requirement will be converted into 1 – year ZiG denominated investments (TBs) at the prevailing exchange rate and will earn an annual interest rate of 7.5%;
This is a saga and an unprecedented move by the apex bank. It introduced the auction system and businesses participated in it with the faith that everything was under control only to realise later that they could not get back their monies.
<h2>THIS IS NOT RIGHT.</h2>
This has massive implications for businesses from different angles:
(a) This is a direct violation of property rights which is synonymous with appropriation of business monies. This is tragic. It raises despondency and worsens the trust and confidence levels which are required to foster the acceptability of the ZiG;
(b) These funds are obviously part of the working capital of the affected businesses. This means that a number of companies are under serious stress – their ongoing concern is threatened. @ReserveBankZIM 
this is WRONG.
(c) The Governor categorically made it clear that these outstanding balances will be converted at the prevailing exchange rate of USD/ZiG, that is, at ZiG13.56 (i.e., ZWL$33,882.72) to USD yet some of these balances were held by the central bank when the rate was ZWL$6,000 (as at December 2023), that is, ZiG2.4. This effectively means that on 8 April 2024, when the directive was issued by the esteemed Governor, capital of businesses was eroded by the Governor’s directive by more than 6 times – business working capital is gone before we factor in further erosions which will be caused by inflation and exchange rate volatility in the next 2 years. For starters, the 7.5% interest rate stipulated for these funds is a mere joke to say the least. At the end of the tenure of these instruments, the value of these monies will be nothing (zuda chairo). If I was sitting on the boards of these affected companies, I would ask them to write off this debt and count their losses.
<h2>4. Decision to Convert Excess ZiG Balances into Non-Negotiable Instruments</h2>
The Governor’s decision to convert the excess liquidity held by banks to non-interest-bearing non-negotiable certificates of deposits (NNCDs) with a view to mop excess liquidity will entrench dollarisation and kill ZiG.
This policy directive is coming into effect against the background of the fact that the bank balances of the ZiG and USD stand at ZWL$2.6 trillion (equivalent to US$80 million) and US$2.4 billion, respectively.
Instead of the Governor promoting the use of ZiG by encouraging lending towards the productive sector, he is mopping the little ZiGs leaving the USD balances dominating the banking sector. In this process, he is effectively promoting the USD and killing ZiG
<h2>5. Continuation of the Gold – Token (ZiG)</h2>
The question which is boggling the minds of many is how are the gold tokens going to be funded considering the fact that RBZ is still issuing the tokens and the cumulating sales of the gold tokens are approaching 1000kgs, that is, one (1) tonne of gold? Is this one tonne of gold part of the 2.6 tonnes of gold which is backing the ZWL$2,6 trillion?
The RBZ must come out clean on this as this is killing the little confidence remaining.
<h2>6. Excess Liquidity from Treasury</h2>
The funding model used by Treasury to pay for infrastructure development is very problematic and is anti-ZiG. As long as the Treasury pays contractors with ZiG, the exchange rate will continue to run away as these ZiGs are offloaded on the black market. It is as simple as that.
Instead of GOZ sending the police after the money changers, the Treasury must close its tape. The police and other arms of govt have no capacity to arrest the actors in the black market – can’t arrest 7 million people in the informal sector.
On a separate note, isn’t it that the GOZ is exposing itself by setting the police on money changers? If GOZ has enough gold and foreign currency reserves, why is it going after money changers, after all, there is tight liquidity.
<h2>7. Confidence</h2>
As a country, for the last 26 years (i.e., from 14 November 1997) we lost several currencies (ZWD, USD, Bond note, RTGSs, ZWL, etc) and in the process we suffered massive losses in respect of jobs, savings, pensions, capital, medical aid, etc. Life has become unbearable. We suffered enough. As they say, once beaten twice shy, we are not taking any chances.
Citizens’ and businesses’ trust in a currency is driven by the government of the day – if GOZ refuses the ZiG, how can it expect us to accept the same currency?
The Governor’s BIGGEST MISTAKE was to declare that he would not force ZiG on fuel stations.
His blunder was complimented by Treasury’s reluctance to accept ZiG in respect of government services (such as passports) &amp; payment of duties, taxes, fees and levies. GOZ should have simply enforced the use of a multi-currency regime in all its services and payment of duties, taxes, fees and levies. As it stands, ZiG is an orphan which has been rejected by its biological parents (GOZ).
If the biological parents of ZiG are refusing to take care of their own child ZiG, what motivates us (citizens) to parent this orphan? Honestly, what concerns a bird with a toothpick if it has no teeth?
Still on confidence, the biggest undoing of the Governor was bad-mouthing his predecessor (ref quasi-fiscal financing and “entertaining complaints”) and his failure to avail the ZiG notes on time and exposed the public to unfair pricing caused by lack of change.
If it is true that @DrJPMangudya was giving in to pressures from GOZ, what makes him think that we will trust his “not under my watch” mantra will pass the test of time at @ReserveBankZIM?
This, together with the cessation of payment platforms which negatively affected the general public to transact, worsened the confidence level – people are angry. This situation is worsened by the fact that there were no extensive consultations which were carried out by the RBZ.
The issue of currency sensitivity was no longer an issue because President @edmnangagwa had already indicated that his government was going to introduce a structured currency.
He gave policy direction, right? At that point, RBZ should have hit the ground and held stakeholder consultations across the country (town hall meetings, community meetings, dialogue with businesses and technocrats).
These consultations were supposed to be heart-to-heart consultations because they were supposed to be built on the understanding of the pain which citizens and businesses went through as a result of the currency crisis.
Most importantly, RBZ was supposed to listen to everyone’s fears, and concerns and give them assurances. These assurances must be reflected in GOZ policies.
As it stands, the RBZ ambushed us and they want us to run with the ZiG when we have so many fears and have not cared to talk to us and build consensus so that we walk this ZiG journey together.
<h2>8. Absence of robust structural policies</h2>
The ZiG must be anchored by production. Structural policies such as industrial, agricultural and trade policies must be recalibrated with a view to building a productive, exporting and prosperous economy. We spend over US$4 billion annually importing commodities which we can produce locally produced: cereals, fruits and vegetables, soyabean, wheat, toothpicks, chewing gums, pampers, tissue and paper, etc.
This tells us that we need to relook at our policies with a specific focus on substitute imports. Likewise, the fact that 92% of our exports are constituted by commodities [minerals (70%) and agricultural products (22%)], tells us that we need to recalibrate our industrial and export policies with a view to changing our exports towards diversified and value-added exports.
It is on the basis of the foregoing submissions that I have serious reservations about the success of ZiG.
Those who are close to Cde Mutsvangwa please tell him that I am humbly asking him and his party to allow me to enjoy the fruits of our independence by allowing me to exercise my constitutional rights – freedom of expression.
In the same token, please tell him that I am just a humble guy from Chimanimani who has one goal – dying to see a prosperous Zimbabwe and my approach is centred on providing independent and incorruptible comments on fault lines in our policies so that GOZ can consider them for policy improvements.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Unpacking Why ZiG Will Fail - Gift Mugano

Opposition politician <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Elisabeth_Valerio">Elisabeth Valerio</a> has said the introduction of a new currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) will not address the country’s economic challenges without political consensus, the creation of a safe investimate climate, and transparency and accountability, among other issues.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/John_Mushayavanhu">John Mushayavanhu</a> announced the launch of the structured currency on 05 April 2024.
According to the Central Bank, ZiG’s value is anchored by equivalent value in precious minerals, primarily gold, or foreign exchange held for that purpose by the RBZ.
Valerio, the only female presidential candidate in Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections, said the country will not achieve currency stability without addressing the wider economic challenges of political instability, inconsistent and obscure monetary policies and the lack of confidence in Zimbabwe. She said:
<blockquote>
Whether currencies change or not – how our economy performs is what matters. High inflation and slow growth have been persistent problems affecting the value of our currency. An overnight change in currency cannot allay these.
The resources and wealth of Zimbabwe must benefit the citizens of Zimbabwe. Furthermore, economic resilience must be strengthened through diversification and investment in key sectors.
As UZA, we’re committed to advocating for policies that promote stability and we are working to restore and strengthen Zimbabwe’s industrial and economic capacity.
This includes advocating for political stability and transparent economic strategies; encouraging investment; and capacitating entrepreneurs.
By working together, we can build a stronger, more stable future for Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
The leading opposition presidential candidate in last year’s harmonised elections, Nelson Chamisa, also condemned the introduction of the structured currency, saying “A bond note by another name will not fix our challenges.”
Chamisa said that the nation requires systematic political reforms rather than focusing solely on currency restructuring.
He pointed out that currency reforms in the past have been unsuccessful, and he cautioned that the ZiG currency is likely to face challenges due to underlying issues such as “broken politics,” disputed elections, and contested national processes.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZiG Won't Address Zimbabwe's Economic Challenges - Valerio

<a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Farai_Maguwu">Farai Maguwu</a>, the founding Director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), has suggested that the leaking of Fifi’s nudes, which has become a topical issue on social media, is meant to divert Zimbabweans’ attention from the Government’s shortcomings in the introduction of the new currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG).
The central bank launched ZiG on Friday last week but the new currency has already lost value significantly on the black market as illegal money changers are reported to be selling the greenback for ZiG18, instead of the official rate of US$1:ZiG13.4.
This week, comedienne <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Mai_Titi">Mai TT</a> and her daughter Fifi (17) have been trending because of nude pictures of the latter which were posted online.
Shockingly, Mai TT defended her daughter and encouraged her to dump more nudes online.
This may not be surprising to some people because Mai TT’s nudes were also leaked last year.
Posting on X, Maguwu asked if it is a mere coincidence that Mai TT’s nudes were leaked during the airing of the Al Jazeera documentary, Gold Mafia last year, and her daughter’s were leaked online when the launch of the ZiG currency has stirred debate. Said Maguwu:
<blockquote>
Fifi nudes. Do u remember that after the 1st 2 or 3 episodes of the Gold Mafia documentary, Mai Titi ‘leaked’ her own nudes to divert public attention? Is it a coincidence that as the public is reacting to ZiG, Fifi feeds the public with her own nudes again? And Mai Titi defends her.
</blockquote>
“Gold Mafia” was a four-part documentary aired by Al Jazeera’s investigative unit which exposed an alleged shadowy global economy, where gold serves as a conduit for turning dirty cash into seemingly legitimate wealth.
The investigation focuses on Southern Africa, where gold smuggling gangs operate, enriching themselves while exploiting their nations.
According to the documentary, criminals, working with government officials, use a complex web of companies, counterfeit identities, and fake documents to launder hundreds of millions of dollars.
For instance, smuggled gold from Zimbabwe finds its way to Dubai and then gets exported to major gold hubs like Switzerland and London.
“Gold Mafia” alleged that high-ranking officials from Zimbabwe are involved in smuggling and money laundering.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Mai TT said she was shocked to discover that her daughter, Fifi, had been blackmailed by her former boyfriend for a whole year over the nudes. She wrote:
<blockquote>
I got to find out that she was under threats the whole of last year but never told me about it. She would pay this guy not to release until she couldn’t afford anymore.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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