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Walter Mzembi
Just woken up and am reflecting on some elements of the Zimbabwe economy and its composition seems to run as follows and this is by no means exhaustive:

1) A fast shrinking heavily taxed or taxed to extinction formal sector . . . pays the bills

2) A sickly but fast growing non taxable informal sector, operating from anything from shop pavements, car boots, street intersections (robots), bus termini (road ports, renkini) etc

3) An exclusive top brand shopping mall and consumptive and restaurant sector — Borrowdale economy, you can compute quite a few of these in the country — multiracial in character but often noticed by its new money black cousins , eager to show that they have arrived.

4) A Port of Entry, cash rich stream, Beitbridge Spaghetti Economy, from cash collectibles, government fragmentation and turf, to impounded and smuggled goods, deportees , touts, to traffic congestion. This one is a survival of the fittest mumbo jumbo.

5) Highway Economy — spot fines, tollgate fees, accident hit livestock — unclaimed to wasted goods in overturned vehicles

6) A “moonlighting”, civil service, passing for everything from farmer, entrepreneur, clocks in at 8AM, disappears for 2 hours, token appearance and disappears after lunch through Seedco, Windmill or ZFC. Often attends funerals – most of our farms in these hands . . . Largest workforce – 250,000.

7) Municipal Economy — rates, water bills, refuse gathering (collection?), dark streets. Last Christmas Cheer Fund unknown!

8) Underground Economy – arguably the largest. Untouchable from gold panning, to multiple mine claims (some 10,000ha in their pockets), smart alecks, sitting in hotel lobbies prying on unsuspecting diamond and gold buyers – claiming ministerial connections, to JVs and all forms of business permits/licences.

9) A vibrant prosperity religious movement where Bishops are now made overnight with poor people constituting a line of credit, waiting for the elusive miracle

10) A taxing private and trust schools economy where fees upwards of $3,500 per term are now common but twinned by poor pass rates.

I go back to sleep, asking the question what are we doing to ourselves? And vowing to live my dream Zimbabwean life in our time. Let’s unite to correct this each and every one of us, for a better Zimbabwe!

Source: Honourable Walter Mzembi’s facebook account <https://www.facebook.com/walter.mzembi> February 11 at 3:26pm