Working Committee of the National Security Council of Zimbabwe (WCNSC) has today shown support to the government as the nation continues under economic challenges with rising inflation in a country expected to face yet another year of negative growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The economic situation in the country has resulted in the cost of living going up to over ZW$7 000 in the background of life-threatening COVID-19 pandemic. No bailout package has been allocated for Zimbabwe, which also faces a ZWL$ 5 billion government deficit, to survive the impact of measures to mitigate the current pandemic.
Speaking on behalf of the (WCNSC), Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the government remains acutely aware and sensitive to the untold hardships that are afflicting Zimbabweans as a result of the ongoing economic challenges that the country is facing.
“Government is indeed also sensitive to the fact that this scourge has not spared our entire population, all workers, business people, members of the civil services, health workers, teachers, and members of the security services,” Kazembe said.
“We, therefore, take this opportunity to assure all the people of Zimbabwe that the government will spare no efforts towards improving their livelihoods, along with the welfare and conditions of service of employees.”
The Home Affairs Minister, backed by top military and police officials and in the presence of the Minister of State Security in the President’s Office, Owen Ncube, also said the government wishes to urge the entire nation to converge and work hard using the metaphor “put shoulders to the wheel.”
“We all need to restore our country’s economic stability and growth, defeat the numerous threats that our country now faces, including food insecurity and the current COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as staying the course towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” Kazembe said.
“Indeed, as the old adage goes, united we stand and divided we fall. Let us unite to secure and develop our country.”
Zimbabwe remains politically divided with the country’s largest opposition party refusing to accept the legitimacy of the current ruling regime.
The current regime has borrowed the same economic challenges faced by Robert Mugabe administration and this has been followed by concerns on rumours of an imminent coup d’etat in Zimbabwe.
Such economic challenges, which include rising inflation, liquidity challenges and foreign currency shortage amid corruption, are attributed to the downfall of Mugabe, which took place after a military intervention.
Kazembe dismissed the rumours and said the “false coup” is in a bid to taint the image of Zimbabwe’s President, to undermine the legitimacy of government and to render the country ungovernable.
“They are completely unfounded,” he said. “For the avoidance of doubt, there is no coup in the making, nor is there any form of Transitional Authority of Inclusive Government that is contemplated by the New Dispensation, except in the fertile imagination of the purveyors of this information.”
Concurrently, the situation has gone to the level where top officials are turning to religion for answers.
Broadcasting Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, yesterday revealed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s plan to officially announce a day of fasting and national prayer.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Governor, Dr John Mangudya, addressing the Budget and Finance Parliamentary Committee on Wednesday in May this year, blamed a demon for the economic situation in Zimbabwe ( A demon is a spiritual evil being that brings bad misfortunes according to the Christian religion).
Mangudya said, “There is a demon in our economy which needs to be traced. It’s more like an economic virus, which you can’t touch but you can feel it.”
