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Stephen Mpofu

Whoever disagrees that a full belly is THE indisputable barometer of any nation’s happiness?

Our own President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, put this indisputable truth in his own words when he said earlier this week that the priority of his Government was to put right the economy now in a virtual sorry state instead of rushing into a government of national unity with a political foe, the MDC Alliance grouping of Mr Nelson Chamisa which, in any case, claims that ED lost the July presidential election.

And anyway, where on the global political arena is a party that won elections by a two thirds majority known to have stooped low to the ground and doffed its hat to receive the villain from the dust and into its ruling ranks for no really credible reason? That sort of thing is curiosa and curiosa if not ranking as an absurdity of absurdities.

But should by some miracle that development happens in Zimbabwe and a glimmer of smiles is ignited on the sullen faces of Zimbabweans welcoming an improvement in the economy and the opposition partner in government claims credit for the economic improvement will anyone shoot down their brag?

In fact, will the opposition politicians not claim to the world that their failed attempt at forming a parallel presidency and with that a parallel government — nay, a rival presidency and a rival government was justified — in spite of being shot down by legal minds as being unconstitutional and President Mnangagwa’s win being endorsed by the court and international election observers?

But, of course, opposition politicians have to wait their turn to govern and during that time craft policies that are credible to convince voters that the opposition is capable of introducing better economic fortunes than is the case currently.

Short of that they risk to continue in the political doldrums ad infitum.

On the other hand, the incumbent government must do everything to improve the lot of the Zimbabwean people as President Mnangagwa promised.

You listen to people’s conversations, look at their facial countenances as well as the glint in their eyes, not mention their shrunken bellies and you know that all is not well with our economy with the prices of consumer goods, including medicines sky rocketing almost by the day as if in blatant defiance of the Government’s public statements about putting the economy right.

What seems to aggravate the economic challenges is an insatiable desire for the United States dollar or its equivalent in the South African rand – both currencies being alien to this country so that people have to devise ways to get the money by hook or crook in order to access the goods they need for their families.

One is even tempted to wonder if the businesses and the black market where the foreign currencies seem to be awash are not in collusion with the West and in that way effect regime change in pursuit of which the imperialists imposed financial and economic sanctions on this country as punishment for Zanu-PF’s land reform programme.

Now marriages appear to be the latest victims of the foreign currency scandal that has taken this country by storm.

Talk of parents demanding the bride price for their daughters in the US dollar or in the rand have become germane because for these people the bond has become worthless in their estimation.

This suggests that those who cannot raise sufficient foreign currency demanded – and only a few can – cancel white weddings or put the marriage arrangements in abeyance so that dore dore for many young couples has become an intangible dream or a mere proverb.

A few days ago there were near-riot scenes at Western Union branch offices in Bulawayo as relatives of people working abroad trooped from one office to another demanding cash in United States dollars sent to them by relatives but were told they had to wait for days to access the cash.

Angered by the long wait some of the people said they had travelled from the countryside and could not wait any longer penniless in the city.

This pen has said before and will say it again that the black market which appears to be the source of all evil foreign-currency headaches should be destroyed and destroyed yesterday and with pharmacies being discouraged from charging the US dollar for medicines that the sick badly need for their treatment.

How in the world is a sick villager, or ordinary worker in the city, such as a domestic worker, expected to raise American dollars to buy medicine?

If the Government does not move in quickly to stop the rot, it may not be too long before commuters are made to pay fares in American dollars or in other foreign currencies.

Thus, fixing the economy will also mean for ordinary Zimbabweans the Government dealing with bread and butter issues that affect the majority of this nation.