move by the Mugabe regime serves to prove that the illegitimate ZANU PF regime has failed to address national problems which has seen a freefall of the once vibrant regional economy,” said an MDC cadre.
The Robert Mugabe government which is faced with a great economic depression has now resorted to the military style of leadership of controlling every economic activity through the use of state security apparatus such as police and army.
“No one in private or public sectors can now raise salaries, wages, rents, service charges, prices and school fees on account of increases or anticipated increases in the consumer price index, the official and unofficial exchange rates, or valued added tax and duty,” read part of the government advisory.
The regulations were made under the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act and fall away in six months unless Parliament amends the two affected Acts.
Under the regulations, all proposed fees, tariffs and charges by Government departments, State universities, and statutory bodies, including statutory professional associations, and companies where the State is a majority or sole shareholder must be approved by the Commission in advance.
Economists alleges that the move is meant to stabilise the runaway inflation figures which independent analysts are now estimating that the inflation is now over 13 000 per cent.
Some leading politicians in the country have dismissed the move as a desperate attempt to normalise the economic meltdown which has forced over 70 per cent of the country’s productive population into exile.
Since the beginning of this year ruling ZANU PF has been embarking on poor economic policies meant to sustain its dictatorship as it fears once the formal totally collapse public outcry will be unavoidable.
The Zimbabwean government has in the past embarked on the slashing of prices, indigenisation bill, crackdown on the parallel market, but all to no avail.
Civic groups and opposition MDC maintains that no economic reform can work in Zimbabwe as long as the political issue has not been fully addressed as the Zimbabwean crisis was more of a political crisis than economic.