Economic Madness Returns

NIPC chairman, Goodwills Masimirembwa has issued a
statement promising the “full wrath of the law on all
businesses and individuals overcharging”.
 The Zimbabwean has established that teams from the police,
army, municipal authorities as well as Zanu (PF)
activists have been recruited for a countrywide
crackdown expected to start next week.
Masimirembwa told The Zimbabwean that most businesses
“have defied government orders and raised prices by
more than the 600% agreed and passed by NIPC, meaning
the law has to take its course.”
He declined to reveal how the law would take its
course, but senior officials in the police and army
speaking on condition of anonymity said the
recruitment of forces was almost complete. “There are
many police and army officers who have already been
confirmed and will participate in the crackdown,
similar to the one conducted last year,” a source
said. “NIPC wants it to be done countrywide and seems
to be under political pressure to have prices slashed
significantly.”
Police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka said, “We (police)
are already on the ground in that exercise because
overcharging is unlawful.”
The Zanu (PF) regime seems to forget quickly, or is so
desperate to the extent it chooses to repeat an
exercise that brought a lot of mayhem, shortages and
economic decline last year. The crackdown on industry
and commerce over prices last year forced many
closures whilst thousands lost their jobs as the whole
nation grappled with unprecedented shortages of all
commodities.
Sustained hyperinflation has seen prices consistently
rising beyond the 600% ceiling imposed by the NIPC at
the beginning of this month. Most goods and services
have increased in prices by more than 1000% over the
past month.