FOCUS ON PRODUCTION, NOT REGULATION

Zimbabwe needs to focus on reviving industry and not over regulating to protect the businesses of the elite like Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who owns Choppies supermarkets. SI.64 only squeezes cross boarder traders who import items that are in short supply or too expensive in Zimbabwe. They eke a living in a country with record formal unemployment. 

Government has the clout to mobilise resources to kickstart manufacturing plants across the country. Fundamentally, government needs to focus on the provision of public goods and services such as electricity generation, transportation and the road network, healthcare and education. Addressing these alone will provide formal employment in these sectors. 

Government seems to be coming up with radical and punitive statutory instruments just to protect their personal business empires. That is the perception and they must address to avoid further deterioration of the currency of trust.