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Senior Reporter
MDC-T National Assembly representative for Nkayi and party deputy organising secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe says illegal sanctions imposed on the country will affect the projected 2014 economic growth of 6,1 percent. MDC-T has over the years refused to accept that illegal sanctions imposed at the turn of the century have played a major contributory factor in economic decline.

Mr Bhebhe said this last week in Parliament while contributing to debate on the US$4,2 billion budget proposed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa in December 2013.

“The question I want to pose to the Minister of Finance is, you projected a GDP growth of 6,1 percent but those sanctions are still there.
“How then do you expect a growth of 6,1 percent when you have not dealt with those sanctions?

“How do you achieve the GDP of 6,1 percent when the sanctions are still prevailing?
“You have not put measures to stop them (sanctions),” he said.

In his budget statement, Minister Chinamasa said the continued existence of the illegal sanctions would pose a challenge to economic turnaround.

The West imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in response the Government’s land reform programme and in a bid to get Zimbabweans to push President Mugabe and Zanu-PF out of office.

Minister Chinamasa has projected growth of 6,1 percent compared to the World Bank’s prediction of 4,2 percent.
Most legislators have commended Minister Chinamasa for crafting a budget under difficult circumstances.