EDITORIAL COMMENT : Let’s give bond notes a chance Bond notes

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We find it odd that there is a constituency that still finds scope in toyi-toying against the recently introduced bond notes at a time when the majority of Zimbabweans are queueing at banks to get the same.We were baffled on Wednesday, as were all progressive Zimbabweans, to note that the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) had sought to mobilise people to demonstrate against the bond notes that went into circulation on Monday and have been widely embraced by the transacting public.

Small wonder that the anti-bond notes demonstrations were a flop. Zimbabweans, who are largely smart and entrepreneurial, ignored the calls and went about their normal business of fending for their families.

Many a time peace-loving Zimbabweans have sent a strong message to those with an appetite to demonstrate and cause mayhem, that they have better avenues to expend their energy.

We thus wonder what agenda NERA is trying to advance and who their paymaster is.

The bond notes have been introduced by the central bank as an export incentive. At least $10 million worth of the bond notes in $2 and $5 denominations were brought into circulation, while $1 coins were also launched as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe seeks to stimulate exports through a 5 percent incentive.

It is thus regressive for any individual and institutions to seek to destabilise such a noble initiative.

As we traverse our peaks and lows, may we always be cognisant of the fact that our fate as a country and a people is in our hands by omission or commission.

Every decision we make has its disadvantages but when these are outweighed by the benefits thereof, we must all duly acknowledge.

Zimbabwe is the only place we call home and it’s unfortunate that among us are those that are bent on destroying what others are building. With what motive?

Perception is as good or as bad as reality and elements in this country shoot themselves in the foot by negating the very interventions meant to save our economy.

In the first instance, the amount of bond notes to be injected are a tiny fraction of our Gross Domestic Product which stands at $14 billion, hence they cannot destabilise the markets in any way.

Therefore, fears by Nera and a few of like-minded saboteurs seem unfounded.

RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya has reassured Zimbabweans a countless times that the bond notes are not harmful to the economy but are in fact curative.

Indeed, there have been arguments and counter arguments about the merits and demerits of these bond notes but a more sober analysis should dispel any fears.

Initial fears were understandable at some point because of the experiences people went through in the hyper-inflationary era of 2008, when money was losing value by the second, literally, but we cannot be limited by past experiences. At best we can only draw lessons.

Indeed no two situations are the same.

Let us give bond notes a chance as we pursue more solutions to confront current economic challenges.

Those that could be engaging in acts that sabotage the economy must be dealt with severely. We also must not allow profiteering from bonds notes or resuscitation of the black market to abuse the same.

There is more that binds us as Zimbabweans than what divides us. Let’s leverage the former as we move into 2017.

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