Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai approaches Moyana for RBZ post

Tsvangirai approaches Moyana for RBZ post
Ranganai Chidemo
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:26:00 +0000

THE Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has been consulting civil society institutions and the business sector on ways to improve the economy after he is appointed Prime Minister in the new all-inclusive government and has approached former Reserve Bank governor Kombo Moyana to head the Central Bank.

Although the appointment of the Reserve Bank governor is the prerogative of the President, MDC party's economic advisors are reported to have recently met with retired Moyana and asked him to replace Dr. Gono.

The MDC-T party blames the Reserve Bank governor for the economic problems bedeviling the country.

Dr Gono blames a raft of sanctions imposed by the United States, Britain and their allies for the economic downturn in the country.

The MDC-T leader is also reported to have approached the former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) boss Kumbirai Katsande and former Anglo American chief Godfrey Gomwe for advice on how to turnaround the economy.

The MDC-T party has been pushing for the removal of the Reserve Bank Governor during the all-party talks asking that his contract due to end in November, not be renewed. November marks the end of Dr Gono’s first term in office.

Sources in the Zanu PF party say Morgan Tsvangirai’s current consultations show that he does not have the right calibre of people to place in strategic positions although he is pushing for his party to be allocated key positions in Cabinet.

“The fact that he is running back to Dr Moyana does not make sense to me. Dr Moyana was appointed by (President) Mugabe. How can you approach people who were appointed by the same person you blame for the economic problems we are facing,” said a Zanu PF insider.

Moyana was appointed deputy head of the Reserve Bank in 1983 by then Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe. He then headed the Reserve Bank until the end of his second term in 1993.

“If indeed Morgan (Tsvangirai) has approached Moyana this will only be a stop-gate measure,” added the source. “I do not see how he can turn around the economy when the sanctions that have been promoted by the MDC are still in place?”

“The circumstances obtaining in the early 80s were very different from what we are experiencing today. Moyana does not have a magic wand to remove British and U.S. sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. Morgan should address the root cause of the Zimbabwean crisis rather than engage in this grandstanding,” added the insider in the ruling party.

The MDC leader last month was reported to have approached former senior Rhodesian Forces chief Retired Colonel Lionel Dyck to take over as the Zimbabwe National Army head in the event that the opposition leader was appointed Prime Minister in an all-inclusive Government.

Col Dyck is said to have backed out of the arrangement and revealed the set-up to Zimbabwe’s intelligence services.

The MDC has been criticized for lacking individuals with adequate experience and expertise to run state institutions.

According to sources privy to the all-party talks, Zanu PF is worried that if key state institutions are ceded to the MDC, the party might end up appointing people without the necessary skills to run them.

All-party talks continue today as the MDC leaders, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara are reportedly meeting with President Mugabe over Cabinet positions.

Tsvangirai said Thursday that despite the challenges in allocation of posts, he was still confident a power-sharing deal could work with President Mugabe.

"We are confident about the potential of the deal. There is nothing wrong with the deal," he told reporters.

"In the process of implementation, we have hit an impasse but not on fundamental contents of the deal," he added.

Labels: GIDEON GONO, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, RBZ

posted by MrK @ 9:33 PM