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Elliot Ziwira

Senior Writer

It is on a Friday at 12.10pm as the air-conditioned elliptical conference room at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe building in Harare teems with a hotchpotch of journalists, economic experts, Government officials and other stakeholders waiting for the arrival of Dr John Mushayavanhu.

Striking polished oval tables arranged in four fixed rows, green, blue and maroon swivel chairs blending with the beige five-tier ceiling and padded walls, generously ornamented by golden bands, linked to a circular rimmed wooden strip at the top, gives the room a rich ambiance. It is befitting of the symbolic import the place carries.

Several lights gleam from the ceiling like diamonds on black velvet at night, creating an atmosphere of both serenity and majesty, and illuminating the cosily carpeted conference area. 

Luxuriant flowers capture the ever-hungry eye, a gaze towards exit points situated conveniently around the circular space.

Guests are still trickling in, filling up the place, greeting each other with calm and reassuring familiarity. 

A gang of photojournalists crowd the open space at the foot of the front row, an ideal place for their calling, with tools of the trade ready to roll. 

As carriers of glad tidings, they have an obligation to deliver shared expectations to their varied audiences dotted across the country and beyond.

 They are duty-bound to unite communities through images that speak more than a thousand words in a click and flash. 

Although they are engaged in banter with their colleagues in the profession, they remain glued to the spot through which the Governor of the Reserve Bank is expected to materialise-eye and finger at the ready. 

To get a slight edge over others, therefore, some of them have tacked their cameras on tripods that compete to hit the ceiling. There are those of them depending on their long arms and stature to outdo the tripods on the race to the welcoming ceiling.

Experience tells them where he will sit, and of course, the platform from which he will deliver. Finding the best angle is crucial.

Those gifted with the power of the garb, the writers, given to words, are slouched in the cosy chairs, engaged in small talk with their peers, or whoever is within earshot, killing time-waiting.

They are probably playing and replaying the stories about the story of expectation in their heads -rehearsing, rehashing them for their audiences. Also, they understand the power of words in shaping narratives. 

Word has it that a new structured currency is coming on board. 

The anxiety of waiting and the fear of the unknown have been strange bedfellows permeating exchanges for quite some time; sometimes driven by keyboard analysts on social media platforms. This word, therefore, should not be lost in a maze of other words, until it loses itself through misinformation. 

Some, probably taking leave of patience, are on their phones-waiting. Others are simply slouching, taking in the feeling, with their eyes betraying many stories of journeys travelled in the recesses of life-waiting.

Outside, Zimbabweans wait, also. Even those in the diaspora are waiting. 

The air of expectation is so thick that one can cut through it with a pen, the experienced journalist’s most reliable ally. 

Here he comes; followed by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister David Mnangagwa, and outgoing Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya.

It is 12.13pm.

The up-to-the-minute conference system booms into life as soon as the guests take to their seats, bringing order to the room. 

Silence, relief and calm follows as Deputy Governor Dr Innocent Matshe observes protocol, and calls Dr John Mushayavanhu, within the same minute of Deputy Minister Mnangagwa and Dr Mangudya’s arrival, to make his presentation. 

 The sea of photojournalists rises in a tide, frantically clicking and flashing, immortalising the moment in thousands of moving and frozen images, for posterity, almost drowning the Governor with their camera flashes.

Those gifted with understanding of different meanings of words click on their recording devices, and commit their pens to the future in their diverse, yet similar ways. 

It is a commitment they have made, through understanding of their role in ferrying and articulating societal aspirations. 

Those given to deciphering economic issues are hooked to their tools, ready to engage with the discourse at this momentous occasion. They have an obligation as well-to inform their fellow citizens from an informed position. 

Harnessing of runaway prices for basic consumer goods, rising tariffs and service charges, and curtaining of parallel activities leading to the depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar, are issues requiring immediate attention. 

Clad in a navy-blue suit, white shirt and maroon tie, the cleanly shaven Dr Mushayavanhu takes to the dais to present his maiden, yet eagerly awaited 2024 Monetary Policy Statement (MPS).

Aware of the weight he carries, the Reserve Bank chief speaks in a soft, yet confident and reassuring voice on all that he has in store for the realisation of a brightly alluring shared future. 

“Let me begin by saying that this monetary policy statement that we are presenting this afternoon is a product of wide consultations.

“We interacted with the outgoing Governor. In fact, we started talking about this monetary policy statement as late as last year,” he begins, thus setting the tone to his tenure as the Reserve Bank Governor having commenced duty last week.