Maravi

(HERALD) Have sanctions lifted, MDC told

Have sanctions lifted, MDC told
Herald Reporter

THE MDC should return to Western countries to have the sanctions it advocated, lifted because they are the cause of the country’s economic challenges, the House of Assembly heard yesterday. Deputy Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, said it was strange that MDC faction leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, received a standing ovation from Australian leader Mr John Howard last week, yet Canberra had imposed an economic embargo on Zimbabwe.

Cde Kasukuwere, who is also Mount Darwin South Member of House of Assembly, said any Zimbabwean who is described by Western countries as a hero as happened to Mr Tsvangirai recently, was a traitor.

The legislator was debating a motion moved by Hatfield Member of the House of Assembly, Mr Tapiwa Mashakada (MDC) calling the Government to address macro-economic fundamentals.

In his motion, Mr Mashakada said the Government should come up with holistic, objective and comprehensive policies to arrest the hyperinflation and other manifestations of economic instability.

The opposition legislator also said he was concerned by the failure of the successive Government economic policy blueprints enunciated since 2000 to stop the economic decline.

He said price controls have never worked in any economy, saying the recent price controls effected by Government were a knee-jerk reaction of the price spiral that was being experienced in the country.

Responding to Mr Mashakada, Cde Kasukuwere said while it was true that the economy has not been performing well, it was the MDC that had created the situation by calling for the imposition of illegal sanctions.

"The economic challenges the country is facing are because of the MDC. Just a few days ago (Mr) Tsvangirai was called a brave man for calling for sanctions. He is telling them that ‘burn the country for me to become president’. If you become a hero in the eyes of John Howard then you become an enemy of the people of Zimbabwe," said Cde Kasukuwere.

"Howard has been admiring Tsvangirai because here is a man who is calling for the killing of his own country.

"Some people in the MDC went to America to draft the Zimbabwe Democracy Economic Recovery Bill to destroy the country and they return here to say Zanu-PF has destroyed this country."

Contributing to the same debate, Mberengwa West Member of the House of Assembly, Cde Joram Gumbo (Zanu-PF) said the MDC should be asking itself why the economy began to recede in 2000 just a year after the opposition party became into being.

"Why did the economy decline in 2000, that is the question we should be asking ourselves," he said.

Bulawayo South Member of House of Assembly Mr David Coltart (MDC) admitted that sanctions have been hurting ordinary people.

He urged parliamentarians to work together for the good of the country and should put aside political differences.

He, however, blamed the Government for the economic challenges the country was facing, saying the economy under former Rhodesian prime minister Mr Ian Smith performed well despite comprehensive sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

Labels: AUSTRALIA, JOHN HOWARD, MDC, THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 7:05 AM