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That the country and its economy have been under severe attack in recent months is evident.

The usual foreign detractors have stepped up their hostility, acting alone and through their ever-dutiful local lackeys. The foreigners are issuing statements on social and traditional media tarnishing the image of President Mnangagwa, his party Zanu-PF and its Government and the country at large. They are plotting together with their local agents who are using social media to tarnish the image of the country and its leadership.

The foreigners and their local elite agents are also manipulating the economy, chiefly the exchange rate which has seen a rally in prices of various goods and services in recent weeks. The whole idea is to create economic hardship as well as alarm and despondency, to collapse the country and make it ungovernable.

The ruling party addressed this unfortunate situation at the 340th ordinary session of the Politburo on Wednesday. The leadership discussed the challenges for eight hours, one of the longest meetings that party organ has held in recent years.

In his opening remarks, the President was scathing in his attack on the evil schemers. Also, he boldly told them that they will never win.

“On the economic front,” he said, “we are witnessing a relentless attack on our currency and the economy in general through exorbitant pricing models. We are fully cognisant that this is a battle being fuelled by our political detractors, elite opportunists and malcontents who are bent on pushing a nefarious agenda. They will never win. We did not liberate this country for selfish, profiteers and greedy individuals, but for all people in our land who have a right to enjoy a better quality of life. As a party we must always strive to achieve this.”

He added that the savage attacks on the economy have been accompanied by a resurgence of hate speech and language which he observed are not characteristic of the values his leadership seeks to be embedded in our country under the Second Republic.

“I am aware that the intention was to cause despondency, unrest, violence and to render the country ungovernable,” he said.

“These acts should never be tolerated. I urge the Party and nation as a whole, to remain alert. Let us refuse to be divided by vigilantes who are hired by hostile foreign governments to distract us from our quest to grow our economy and improve the quality of lives for all, in peace, unity and love.”

We acknowledge the socio-economic challenges that are hitting everyone in the country particularly at this time when we are facing the Covid-19 pandemic. Prices are going up frequently, disposable incomes are shrinking, and a number of goods are in short supply.

However, we would want to implore our people to remain strong and united. They must keep working hard and be as disciplined as ever. They must know the obvious fact that the country’s detractors have not rested; they are continuing with their illegal regime change machinations, machinations they have deployed on the country since 2000. They are continuing to manipulate the economy.

Our people also need to appreciate that their government is aware, as the President said on Wednesday, of those foreign machinations to harm the economy.

Our message to the elite opportunists that are manipulating the situation is that they must drop their plotting as it is harmful to the economy; it can potentially get them in trouble with the law.

To the activists who are churning alarmist messages on social media, our message is the same as that to the elites. They must just drop their mischief which is harmful to the economy and can get them in trouble with the law.

To the foreigners who are interfering in our national affairs, our word is that they must leave us alone. They don’t want foreigners to meddle in the internal affairs of their countries and as such must not think Zimbabweans would tolerate them.

To the Government, our message is that all instruments to bring law and order, social and economic recovery and growth must be deployed without fear or favour. The people cannot continue tolerating evil schemers to our collective detriment. They, therefore would be supportive of all measures that the Government would take to get the economy back on track and to discipline the plotters.