Gono, who opened up for the first time ever to people who had gathered for a field day at Zimbabwe Chief’s Council president Fortune Charumbira’s Acton farm last Friday, said he does not need much pushing to leave the RBZ.
“I am even looking for an excuse, I do not need much effort to be pushed out. If anyone wants to take my job, let them come forward,” Gono said.
Gono, who had rumours flying after he allegedly tendered his resignation following the talks deal between the country’s two main political parties, ZANU PF and the MD), said he too was also surprised by the fact that Zimbabwe’s decade-long political and economic crisis has not brought the country’s economy to its knees yet.
“Zimbabwe’s ancestors are strong. It is surprising to see our economy standing by now,” said the central bank governor.
He vowed to keep the money printers running ’till kingdom come’. This is despite the fact that his excessive printing of money has helped increase the rate of inflation.
“Im not afraid to print money and i will continue doing so until those who imposed sanctions on us (the West) have lifted them,” Gono said, before comparing Zimbabwe’s troubled economy with the prevailing global trends.
“People accuse me of steering inflation by printing more money, but the international financial sector is also facing such challenges,” said Gono.
The central bank governor admitted that the country was facing a cash shortage, following the pulling out of a German firm which used to supply Zimbabwe with paper for printing money.
Giesecke and Devriet parted ways with the RBZ in protest of president Mugabe’s disputed one man ruoff election contest, which saw the MDC pulling out, citing violence.
“We had run out of the paper to print money, that is why the maximum withdrawal limits were so low. We were still looking for the paper,” said Gono.
The RBZ on Monday increased the daily maximum withdrawal limit from a paltry $1000 to Zd10 000 and Zd20 000 for individuals and corporates respectively.
Radio VOP