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Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said Government’s decision to allow the importation of basic goods was part of a cocktail of measures being taken to deal with unjustified price increases, some of which are intended to cause illegal regime change.

He also warned that Government will not hesitate to revoke the registration of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that deviated from their core mandate once the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill becomes law.

President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu PF First Secretary, said this while addressing thousands of ruling party supporters at Murewa growth point, Mashonaland East province.

“Right now we are worried about price increases especially in the food sector. They are doing this to cause suffering so that people can rebel against the Government. There are some companies enjoying a monopoly. They want to take advantage of their monopolies. 

“We are instituting a number of measures to break those monopolies including opening our borders to allow our people to import basic commodities duty free,” said President Mnangagwa.

Bread and cooking oil are some of the basic commodities whose price has been rising constantly but unjustifiably.

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has been importing wheat from Eastern Europe, but the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, coupled with effects of climate change and illegal economic sanctions, have seen Harare employing other measures.

He said Zimbabwe has since intensified the growing of wheat and other crops through construction of dams that would lead to irrigation.

President Mnangagwa said owing to measures they have put in place, the growing of wheat has seen the country covered for 11 months up from one month. This will soon rise to 13 months cover. 

Other measures include funding of innovation projects in institutions of higher learning, something that has helped in reducing the import bill.

Some of the products that are now being produced locally include syringes and oxygen used in health institutions. 

“In fact we have reached a level of guaranteed food security in the country,” said President Mnangagwa. 

Turning to errant NGOs, President Mnangagwa said the country’s detractors were funding their political stooges using NGOs in their bid to remove the Zanu PF Government. 

He said Government will not hesitate to invoke provisions of the PVO Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, once it becomes law, on NGOs who deviate from their core mandate. 

President Mnangagwa said the PVO Amendment Bill that seeks to rationalise activities of NGOs and Civic Organisations was a progressive law.

“The Bill is currently before Parliament and I will duly sign it once it has been presented to me,” he said.

Turning to next year’s harmonised elections, President Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to vote for Zanu PF saying it is the only party that will safeguard their interests.

He later donated computers to three secondary schools in Murehwa district.

The three schools are Zaranyika, Magaya and Muchinjike.