Posted by Expectations are high for Tendai Biti, the new finance minister of Zimbabwe. The secretary-general of the MDC and chief negotiator of the power-sharing deal with Zanu-PF faces a collapsed economy.
Economist and former President of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Luxon Zembe, did not mince his words as he pointed out the herculean task ahead of the inclusive Government.
“Our expectations are high and we want to congratulate the political parties involved and the people of Zimbabwe for their resilience. We hope the parties will take the inclusive Government seriously, knowing well that our main expectation is peace and prosperity. We hope the parties will quickly get down to business to stimulate the economic activities, so as to create jobs and economic growth.
“The issue of corruption should also be addressed. Many people have been schooled to do things corruptly. These are the issues we are worried about,” Mr Zembe said.
Biti is widely considered to be one of the MDC’s toughest, most intelligent and outspoken critics of ZANU PF ‘s economic policies.
Last year he blamed Reserve Bank Governor,Gideon Gono for Zimbabwe’s economic woes. “Gono is the number one enemy of this country, not inflation,” Biti, said. “He has been stoking the fires of inflation through quasi-fiscal activities”
Biti described Gono as similar to an “Al-Qaeda” terrorist who should be put before a firing squad.”
But Jonathan Moyo, Tsholotsho independent MP and former Information Minister says Biti will not be as radical in government.
“I have heard there’s something about economics and finance that turns a radical into a conservative,” said Jonathan Moyo, Tsholotsho independent MP.
“He’s been a radical and I think we now expect him to become a conservative.”
Moyo warned that the skills of getting a party organised to win an election are different from getting a government to implement an economic turnaround.
“He’s lucky – it’s in the context of an inclusive government – so there will be less bickering and more support for him, if he puts his attention to the task at hand,” said Moyo.
“Biti has too much in his hands right now…trying to deliver economic stability while also handling the likely power struggle within the new government will be a huge task,” said Asher Tarivona-Mutsengi, a social commentator.
Inflation is currently estimated at at over 80 sextillion(1021)% (although it is impossible to calculate an accurate value) and the country has the lowest GDP real growth rate in an independent country.According to the University of Zimbabwe agricultural production has decreased by 51%.
The rest of the mainstream MDC’s cabinet line up is as follows:
1.Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs- Eric Matinenga
2. Finance- Tendai Biti
3. Economic Planning and Investment Promotion- Elton Mangoma
4. Energy and Power Development- Elias Mudzuri
5. Labour and Social Welfare- Paurina Mpariwa
6. Health and Child Welfare-Henry Madzorera
7. Water Resources Development and Management- Joel Gabhuza
8. Public Service-Eliphas Mukonoweshuro
9. State Enterprise and Parastatals- Samuel Sipepa Nkomo
10. Information Communication Technology-Nelson Chamisa
11. Social Amenities-Fidelis Mhashu
12. Public Works-Theresa Makone
13. Science and Technology Development- Heneri Dzinotyiwei
14. Home Affairs-Giles Mutsekwa
Deputy Ministers
Roy Bennet- Agriculture
Jessie Majome- Justice and Legal Affairs
Sesel Zvidzai- Local Government
Tichaona Mudzingwa- Defence
Samuel Sipepa Nkomo – Foreign Affairs
I think Biti is up to the challenge but first things first release J Mukoko, R Bennet and all other political prisinors who are no longer that as there is an inclusive government. This idiotic behaviour of zanu shows there have no brains at all, we are fighting an ego of a liberation movement who have gone off the rail. Why was Bennet arrested, what is SADC saying about this?
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This is, and will always be, a sham of a unity deal. Morgan, Biti and the MDC team are to be admired for their courage to go ahead at full steam, but Mugabe and his conniving Zanu PF party will always play every trick in the book to get what they want, when they want. And while pals like Mbeki and Motlanthe are still around, the MDC will not get anywhere. It is just one huge sad joke. Mugabe has only entered into this deal to get rid of the targeted sanctions against him and his henchmen, and thank god the US, UK and EU have more brains and won’t do anything until Mugabe stops the brutality, fraud and looting. It’s a sad fact that nothing in Zimbabwe will change until Mugabe and his cronies are well and truly gone.
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Things will change, mark my word. Mugabe himself and many others in zanuPF definitely wants change. What seems to be the problem is that they seem to have no control on Chihuri, Chedondo, Marasashana (law and order), Zimhondi and Chiwenga. You can bet that the arrest of these people, Bennet, Mkoko etc has nothing to do with instruction from Mugabe but are just exploits of these treacherous people. These are the people who have more brawn than brain. What do you think of munhu anorova Ticha arikuticha mwana wake. Its also destroying your own kid. But now their is the Presidential Guard which can be used to term or arrest these lunatics. the PG is not under Chiwenga.
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why should they release them when they commited crime? they belong to where they are, at the moment lets move on with our lives and stop stressing ourselves.
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As long as there is no help from the West,Biti ca do nothing about the economy.For starters the cabinet is too big,thats not a good symbol of a government that wants to revive a economy.Now the arrest of Bennett is also not a good example of political stability,Mukoko and the other activists are still in prison.I do not see how people and investers can be optimistic about this economy.
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February 14 2009 at 12:39PM
Harare – Zimbabwe’s MDC party, which has just formed a unity cabinet
with President Robert Mugabe, said on Saturday a party official it had
reported as being arrested had not in fact been detained.
It had said Brian James, mayor of the city of Mutare, was arrested at
the same police station where senior MDC official Roy Bennett, who has been
charged with treason, is being held.
“We have just been able to locate MDC Mutare Mayor Brian James whom we
had also feared to have been abducted. We can confirm that he has not been
arrested,” it said in a statement. – Reuters
marombe evanhu!!!!!!!!!!!! kutinyaudza
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why are these mdc fools so eager to help a white man even putting their lives on the firing line just to rescue and protect this same man? Why is it they never do this when it comes to Justina and other mdc blacks languising in prisons across the country for various political motivated offences?
WHEN IT COMES TO THESE WHITES THE MDC SUPPORTERS ARE EVEN PREPARED TO DIE FOR THEM.BENNET IS NOT THE FIRST.IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WITH SOME FARMERS ETC.MY POINT IS WHY IS IT THEY NEVER DO THIS WHEN BLACKS ARE INVOLVED….PLEASE TRY TO EXPLAIN AND MAKE ME UNDERSTAND.WHY DO YOU LOVE THE WHITE MAN SO MUCH? WHY NOT YOUR JUSTINAS ETC WHO HAVE EVEN FOUGHT THE MDC WARS FROM WITHIN INSTEAD OF FROM A DISTANCE LIKE BENNET ?
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE GENTLEMEN AND LADIES…
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Hezvo ka Tswankilayi, your supporters and key ministers (backers) are being arrested right under your nose, and you keep saying Mugabe is not the problem – dont you see. Today you say Mugabe is not the problem – then who is the problem? Mukoko is still in prison – is that the spirit of the agreement? First you said you were not coming home unless they released them, (and you did come) , then you said you were not going into agreement unless they are released, (then you did), then you said you were not going to be sworn in unless they were released, (and you were sworn in), and today mugabe has added more of your close associates and you tell us he is not the problem. Have you signed in to the zanu gravy train already – ulilema awulamasende! Next is you and Biti!. Zero intelligence zere advisers.
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ZIMBABWE’S President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace have secretly bought a £4m bolt-hole in the Far East while his country struggles with hyper-inflation, mass unemployment and a cholera epidemic.
The Mugabes’ house, in an exclusive residential complex in Hong Kong, was purchased on their behalf by a middleman through a shadowy company whose registered office is in a run-down tenement block. When a reporter and a photographer called at the house last week, they were attacked by the Zimbabwean occupants. The assailants were questioned by the police.
The property came to light during a Sunday Times investigation into the Mugabes’ financial interests in Asia, where a web of associates has helped them to spend lavishly on luxuries and stash away millions in bank accounts. In Zimbabwe, meanwhile, inflation has reached 231m%, unemployment stands at 94% and 3,467 people have died in recent months from cholera.
According to sources in Zimbabwe and Asia, Grace Mugabe has splashed out £55,500 on marble statues in Vietnam and £8,700 on a handbag in Singapore. She and her husband have enjoyed some of the region’s finest hotels.
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In Hong Kong, where she has discussed a venture to have Zimbabwean diamonds cut and polished in China, her aides paid one hotel bill with a bag of cash containing £10,500.
The Hong Kong house is the first in the Far East to be identified as the Mugabes’. Last Friday two men and a woman objected violently to the arrival of this newspaper’s journalists.
The throat of Colin Galloway, a 46-year-old reporter, was gripped and bruised by a man in his thirties who lifted him off his feet. Galloway was later examined under police supervision at hospital.
Tim O’Rourke, 45, was grabbed by the neck in his second bruising encounter involving the Mugabes in Hong Kong. Last month Grace Mugabe flew at him with her fists after repeatedly punching another Sunday Times photographer in the face in an incident that attracted worldwide publicity.
Hong Kong police said last night that inquiries into a case of alleged common assault on Friday were continuing.
The disclosures about the Mugabes’ Far Eastern interests are certain to anger Zimbabweans already outraged by extravagant celebrations laid on for the dictator’s 85th birthday this week.
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Scarface junior we are making noise about Bennet because he is a Zimbabwean, we are not racist and stup.id like you zanu people. Look at what mugabe is doing at this time when out economy is bleeding buying houses worth millions when people are dying of cholera. zanu is just a party of fools.
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MDC officials get arrested over nothing but zanu pf thugs don’t get arrested yet they involve themselves in corrupt activities and they are murderers. Zimbabwe is a micky mouse case scenario, with mugabe we are going no where.
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Soon the dictating savage mugaybe will be leaving the mess he created for his new found hide away.He does not give a damn about all the foolish zanu idiots who have been sucking up his ass hole all these years.As i said before,this savage has no control or say in what happens in this screwed up country that he created.This useless savage is just a puppet whose strings are being pulled from above.These stupid little zanu fools have no idea that this useless savage will just walk away from them and leave them behind in this mess he created.These zanu idiots are so thick that it beggars belief.
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Mugabe honestly thinks that Zimbabwe is his own (PVT) LTD. and that all the Diamonds , minerals, Gold and total economy ( if you can call it that ) is his and his aloan , he can do what he likes with it as it all belongs to him. If these ZANU-PF Idiots thinks that they matter to Mugabe are very sadly mislead. He does not even think twice about any of Zimbabwe but for his “Business Empire” made from the death and distruction of the Zimbabwe people.
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Scarface, wake up you are an IDIOT.
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My view on these arrests happening are that mugabe has no control over the army and the police, these guys are working with some powerful ministers who don’t want to see this GNU working. I hope tomorrow the courts can dismiss this case against Bennet the man needs to be inaugurated as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, he will teach Made a lot of things about Agriculture. zanu being short sighted and suffering from their ego, have opted to arrest him. This has to stop, we should not have political prisoners because we now have a GNU.
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