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Joseph Madzimure, Harare Bureau

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said people should not panic over the current economic reforms, which have seen the prices of fuel going up because Government is working on addressing the challenges. 

Briefing journalists soon after the Zanu-PF Caucus meeting in Harare yesterday, the party’s chief whip Cde Pupurai Togarepi said the President had indicated to the caucus that the challenges were temporary and will pass.

“The President assured members that people will not starve because Government is working on providing enough food for each household.

Cde Togarepi said President Mnangagwa said Government was working on modalities to set up people’s shops in all the 10 provinces which will sell subsidised products.

“The Government through the Grain Marketing Board is setting people’s shops so that people can access commodities at cheaper prices. The President urged MPs to convey this message to their respective constituencies. He said people should understand Government’s position on the ongoing economic reforms,” said Cde Togarepi.

He said the President said the challenges were a passing phase hence there was no need for people to panic.

The President, Cde Togarepi  said, urged MPs to identify families in need of food aid in their constituencies. 

 “The President said Parliamentarians should work with the relevant ministry (of Public Service) on food requirements in their communities. This will help to ensure that each and every household has access to food,” said Cde Togarepi.

He said the President said he will meet MPs once every month to discuss issues affecting their communities.

“The Zanu-PF Parliamentarians declared their loyalty to the President and indicated that they are happy with the President’s efforts on economic reforms,” said Cde Togarepi. 

He said they also discussed the issue of illegal settlers and the President indicated that they should not be evicted like criminals.

“The President said the evictions should be done in a dignified way and the relevant Ministry should identify land to resettle the illegal settlers. 

“Where the illegal settlers have grown crops on someone’s farm, the President said they should be allowed to stay on until they have finished harvesting their crops.

“Where they have settled on undesignated land, the President said efforts should be made to regularise their stay on that piece of land.”