Who was Robert Mugabe?

                                                                                 Education

Robert Mugabe's education policies have produced accountants, magistrates, pharmacists, lawyers and engineers. Black Zimbabweans with skills are in demand all over the world and credit should be given to Robert Mugabe for creating and nurturing a robust education system.

A point to note is that Zimbabwe had one university at independence and it now has over a dozen universities. 

                                                                          Land Reform Programme
The Rhodesian settlers have called Robert Mugabe Land Reform program chaotic and violent. It is a fact that the land was allocated and distributed according to the laws of Zimbabwe. The land reform was not a failure as portrayed in the western media. Various researchers have proved that though not a huge success the land reform was not a failure.

 Previously disadvantaged Zimbabweans now have land. Zimbabweans had waited for up to 20 years after independence for land.

Britain the former colonial ruler of Zimbabwe to refused to support land redistribution, throwing peace-loving Zimbabweans into an ugly race row, going on to tarnish the image of the country contributing to an economic meltdown from the year 2000 to the present day.  


                                                                Peace
Despite attempts by apartheid South Africa and some Rhodesians to sponsor rebel armed groups just after independence contributing to the Gukurahundi disturbances, Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe has been hugely a safe and peaceful country, contributing to ending wars in Mozambique, DRC and other African countries. Zimbabwe boasts of a well-trained security sector which has contributed to peace in the country despite years of sanctions-induced hardships.

                                                                                    Liberation struggle
Robert Mugabe was imprisoned for 11 years in Ian Smith's jails fighting for the rights of all people.Robert Mugabe took over the leadership of ZANU in 1975. He changed ZANU into a well-administered fighting machine and his leadership culminated in the surrendering of the Rhodesian settlers. 

                                                                                             
                                                                                            Time to go 

While we all agree that it is time for Mugabe to leave, it is paramount and imperative for us Zimbabweans to recognize him as an icon, a great statesman and the founding father of this great nation.

The Coup and The Sanctions Call

THE COUP

The coup (which to me was never a coup) latent strategic objectives was to stabilise the economy and to woo back the international community and allow for internal cohesion. The patent objective was to protect our national interests and to remove undesirable elements in the legislative arm of government. It was a coup carried out by the Executive arm of government with the sole aim of bringing order in the ruling party Zanu Pf.

RHODESIAN CELEBRATES

The white supremacists and their fellow kitchen niggers in the diaspora and at home anxiously anticipated that Mnangagwa incorporates Morgan Tsvangirai in his government. The white faces in that infamous march to the State House were a true show of the hatred that the Rhodesians have of Robert Mugabe. President Munangagwa made the right decision to exclude the white supremacists sponsored MDC alliance.It would have been a  political disaster to bring the sellout party into government.

 SANCTIONS EXTENDED

It is important to note that the subsequent visit and invitation to the USA Senate of the likes of Tendai Biti, Nelson Chamisa, Dewa Mavhinga and the die-hard Rhodesian Godwin is a repeat of what was done in the year 2000. The USA imposed crippling economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.

The sanctions brought about massive economic meltdown for the period 2000 to 2017. The MDC alliance has stupidly pointed out the economic meltdown as a result of Robert Mugabe of misrule.

THE PEOPLE RALLYING POINT

The people of  Zimbabwe have despite the economic meltdown remained united as a nation.

It is important that the extension of sanctions will not bring Zimbabwe to its knees as the MDC alliance wishes. The sanctions are a rallying point for Zimbabweans as seen by the reaction of people on social media.The ideas of freedom, economic progress, justice and equality have kept Zimbabweans united. Let the MDC alliance know, Zimbabweans are incredibly resilient, they will soldier on, despite the extension of the sanctions.

MDC  SCORES OWN GOAL

 It is a fact that a resurgent Zanu-PF, cannot fix the economy alone. ZANU Pf as the ruling party now needs to engage the international community. The MDC alliance is aware that they do not stand a chance come next general election, so the sanctions are a weapon against ZANU Pf and a direct act of blackmail against the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe. The sanctions are the barrier between Zimbabwe and the international community, we can not have economic progress.

The move to call for the extension of the economic sanction by MDC is an own goal!!!

THE CROCODILE AS A RISING STAR

Mr Mnangagwa who had successfully sold himself to the international community, as an uncompromising reformer given the audacious vision he pronounced during his inauguration. The vision included reigning on fiscal indiscipline, stamping out corruption and nepotism, arresting criminals and immediately revamping the economy. The MDC alliance sends their envoys to the USA because they know that ZANU Pf has outsmarted them this time around. The MDC alliance stands no chance against Zanu Pf without the sanctions blackmail.

Zimbabwe let us say no to sanctions.

God bless Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe The Legacy

The Legacy of a Great Statesman
Robert Mugabe legacy is his belief in his people. He believed that the Zimbabweans are capable of running their country. He believed Zimbabwean should own their national resources. He believed they are the best people to exploit and benefit from the natural resources of this country.

The economist in Robert Mugabe believed that if Zimbabweans were empowered through education first they will be masters of their economy.

Education And Health
The early years of independence Robert Mugabe's government thrust was to invest in education and health. The results were immediate and were reflected in the drastic falls in child mortality rates and a sharp increase in literacy rates.

The success of these policies is a legacy that will continuously benefit our nation for many generations in our future.We have the basis to develop world-class educational and health facilities.

Land Reform
Robert Mugabe approach on land reform policy was unorthodox to say it mildly. Nowhere in modern history has an indigenous group of people taken land legally from colonial settlers.

 It could not be done in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Wales or the USA. It was so radical but politically correct, that the United Nations could not sanction Robert Mugabe on the land reform programme.

 It was left to the nations that still had settlers on indigenous lands to impose racist sanctions on Robert Mugabe the person and on Zimbabwe as a nation. Land reform is one of Mugabe's lasting legacy.

Indigenisation
The belief that Robert Mugabe has in the abilities of the indigenous people of Zimbabwe manifested itself as the indigenisation policy. This was a deliberate move to empower black Zimbabweans and make them the masters of their country resources.
The indigenisation policy is one of Robert Mugabe's legacy, it is up to us as Zimbabwean. Robert has incalculated the enterprise spirit into each and every Zimbabwean.

Peace And Security

Zimbabwe has been under security threat since 1980, especially from the former South African apartheid regime and the disempowered Rhodesian settlers. There was a deliberate move to create strong security institutions to protect our sovereignity and territorial intergrity.
It is these security institutions that have contributed to peace and security in the country.

Of Bedroom , Palace and Executive Coups

I will not say, I told you so. I am just a social commentator and I am not a prophet. The people who follow this blog have asked me to give an overview of the current situation in the country. I will assure you (especially my friends in the diaspora) we are in very safe hands of the Government of Zimbabwe. The situation is stable and calm.

I will like to tell you what led us to where we are. It started a long time ago

The Bedroom Coup

Jabulani Sibanda got fired for telling the nation that a certain woman was meddling in the affairs of the country. This was well before the youth interface rallies project.

These youth rallies had the sinister and selfish objective of pushing the agenda of individuals and character assassination of certain individuals.The youth interface rallies were the medium of transforming the bedroom coup to a palace coup. Jabulani Sibanda had the last laugh!!

 The patent objective of these rallies was for the President to meet with youths and bond with them, but the latent objective was to push the First Lady into the Presidium of ZANU Pf and subsequently smuggle her into government.It was a good scheme for the individuals but a disaster for the Nation.

 The Palace Coup

ZANU Pf support base was becoming a ball tossed between the so-called factions. Party committees would be unilateral be suspended at the whim of individuals. Parallel structures within the party were created to destroy and kill the party's procedures and due processes.

These acts were being done live at the interface rallies. Insubordination and indiscipline had become the order of the day. Direct insults were being hurled at party members at the interface rallies and subsequently be broadcasted on public media unedited.

Members of the Presidium were not spared of the insults and threats, and this resulted in the dismissal of one of them. It was a palace coup!! The interface rallies triggered the palace coup and Zimbabweans were left wondering what was happening.

The Executive Coup

It is dangerous in government for one of the three arms to interfere in the running of another. In our case as Zimbabwean, the Legislature via the so-called factions was direct interfering with the duties of the Executive.

We had a permanent secretary tossed and insulted at a youth interface rally. We had some people openly inviting the generals to shoot them! We even had babies threatening permanent secretaries of ministries and government departments!! Something had to give in!!

 Something had to be done, and the only permanent arm of Government, that is the Executive has the power to stop all this chicanery in order to protect our national interest, dignity and sovereignty. It is the Executive mandate and duty!!

God bless Zimbabwe!

The Traditional leaders And White Supremacists

The government recent statutory gesture of giving motor vehicles to traditional leaders have received negative publicity. The opposition and the so-called independent media have been at the forefront of painting this gesture in negative colours. I wish to highlight the source of the negativity.

History and Traditional Leaders

Is it about the Chiefs' motor vehicles only?

Traditional leadership was the first African institution to be attacked by the colonialist.  Traditional leaders like Kaguvi, Nehanda and Chingaira were killed in order to pave way for the colonial rule.

 The direct attack on these institutions was to weaken the indigenous belief in their traditions and leadership. The attack on the Chiefs and spirit mediums was to destroy the original systems of belief and governance and the fabric that made up the pre-colonial Zimbabwe.

The likes of Chingaira and other chiefs rebelled against the colonial settlers because the fabric of their society,  religion, land and traditions were under external threats.

It is the crushing the African spirit

External Threats

The threats to our nations today is not internal it is external,  sponsored by the very people who colonised Zimbabwe. The threats of our time are the sanctions, where proceeds of international trade of Zimbabwean companies are being ceased by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the USA. 

The threats are in the form of cutting lines of credit from international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

The threats are the continual barrage of misinformation from the white supremacists' media propaganda from the likes of Voice of America, British Broadcasting Corporation and local sponsored tabloids.

 
The recent outcry from the media on the provision of motor vehicles to the Chiefs in these media is a knee-jerk response by the external sponsored opposition. The opposition is parroting the colonial narrative and degrading the institutions of our Chiefs.

Uprising Reloaded

It is an invasion of African space

The opposition is not only attacking the Chiefs, but they are also attacking all our traditional institutions. The attack is also aimed at the rural voters. This rhetoric has in the past caused the opposition to lose the rural votes.

The rural voters will not take the attack on their traditional leaders lightly. They will remember the opposition in the voting booth.

It will be another Chimurenga. It will be another uprise against the people who have no respect for their traditional institutes and culture.

The Ceremonial Role and Thought Leadership of Chiefs

Chiefs are not only ceremonial heads of the rural space, but they are thought leaders as well. The Chiefs just like the Queen of England has a lot of political and economic say over the welfare of their subject.

Chiefs are alpha and omega in all traditional rites, from the birth to death the rural person life has milestones that are tied to the chieftainship of the place of his existence.

It is this spiritual hold on the rural population that chiefs that the white supremacists led opposition are afraid of. The hostility was echoed at rallies by Morgan Tsvangirai in the 2013 elections campaign where he threatened to "deal" with Chiefs who supported ZANU Pf. It was a stupid thing to say at a rally, and as a result, he lost those elections.

The Land Issue and Traditional Leaders

It is about land ownership

Traditional leadership stance on the land reform program is another reason why Chiefs are receiving a lot of flack from the pro-white supremacists' settlers media. 

The land is held in trust by Chiefs on behalf of the community. Land which was reclaimed from the Settlers is now directly or indirectly controlled by the Chiefs. It is this very act that the white settlers and their sponsored supporters are not happy with.

Respect the Chiefs

The cry in the opposition camp about the Chiefs' motor vehicles is all about people who are undermining our Chiefs authority and dignity. The cry is from people who have no respect for our culture and traditions.

I am begging all citizens of Zimbabwe to respect the civic and traditional role of the Chiefs. It is our civic duty!!

The Reason for Coalition Failures

There is a great danger that the so-called grand coalition of opposition parties is not going to happen anytime soon. The coalition time is running out. The reason for the failure of the coalition are many but I have decided to highlights a few.




The Dummy Parties and Coalition

There are parties that form the opposition that are are dummies. These are parties that are like shelf companies or briefcase companies. They come into the light once an election is announced. They are set up specifically for donor money and donor sympathy.

A dummy party can only survive where there is money it does not need supporters. It might not even need a leader. Its lifespan begins when elections are announced and ends on polling day. These are parties like Mawambo or the very recently formed APA Zimbabwe created by Dr Nkosana Moyo.

We will be seeing a lot of these dummy parties in the following months.These parties add no value to the opposition cause even if they join a coalition.

The White Supremacists Money and the Coalition

The Rhodesians are still around, remember that they said, Rhodesia is forever. You will not see them directly in our elections, but their money will be in play.It was Rhodesian money that set up the original MDC in 1999. It is the Rhodesian white supremacist monies that have brought back the likes of Biti and Ncube back to the original MDC.

When the like of Joice Mujuru went to London, it was to beg for money from the white supremacists.She promised on  BBC to give them back the land, that is if she wins. She visited Chatham House to brief the white supremacists.

Here the white supremacists are confused as on whom to fund. The white supremacists usual bet Morgan Tsvangirai is sick and dying but is holding on to the MDC leadership. Joice Mujuru because of her revolutionary background, her former role in government and her character does not make her the former white settlers favourite to bet their monies on. She makes the white supremacists nervous and very uncomfortable.

The white Rhodesian supremacists' money for the coalition is definitely not coming easily this time

The Coalition of Joice Mujuru and the MDCs

This coalition of Joice Mujuru and the MDC was bound to suffer a stillbirth. The coalition is like mixing oil and water.

 The difference lies in the history of founders and foundation of the two parties. MDC was formed as a direct reaction by white supremacists settlers to Mugabe's land reform programme. Joice Mujuru's party was formed when she was expelled from the Zimbabwe People First, not ZANU pf, as some would say.

The differences go further.Joice Mujuru is a Chimurenga war veteran, while Tsvangirayi was imposed on MDC by the Rhodesians to cross-dress as a labour leader and a champion of the Rhodesian anti-land reform programme.

We will not have Tsvangirai and Mujuru sleeping in the same bed, not in this election!



The Brand name Parties and Coalition

Brand politics leads to brand tied parties.Let us start with a party called MDC-T. This a party that Morgan Tsvangirayi lead is going to die as soon as Tsvangirayi leaves it. It can not have a life after its leader quits politics.

These parties like dummy parties have very few but loyal supporters. Parties that are led by the likes of Hosea Chipanga, Egypty Munhenzva and others, can not form a coalition because they are afraid to be associated with ideologies that differ from theirs.

These parties are also afraid of being diluted and disempowered in a coalition. It is a fear that makes almost every opposition party hate to be members of a coalition.

Do we as Zimbabweans really need a coalition if we have credible opposition parties?

Lessons from Zimbabwe

SOCIAL MEDIA TWIST

 Panic buying, hoarding of foreign currency and the attempt to burn the bond notes was a direct result of social media abuse and foreign-owned interests in commerce and industry who have been opponents of the bond notes.Here Zimbabweans learnt that social media can influence consumer behaviour negatively and positively. This lesson has also panicked government to set up a ministry to mitigate effects of social media abuse.

FEAR AND PANIC
Every adult in Zimbabwe was affected in one way or another by the foreigner's attack on the Zimbabwean dollar. It is the fear of the repeat of 2008 that panicked the public into the hoarding frenzy and the subsequent hike in prices. The panic attack was triggered by professional political agitators on social media.

 Zimbabweans are a gullible lot when it comes to anything in print and the internet. Thanks to the high literacy rate, the political agitators are taking advantage. High literacy rate does not grow in tandem with financial literacy. The lesson learnt here is that financial illiteracy is a big problem and there is need for educating the masses

SYSTEMIC ABUSE

The fear of a repeat of 2008 keeps us in bondage and helps to perpetuate the very system that you are fighting against. Foreign-owned and controlled industry, the underground economy and the paid politically agitators have continued to fight against the bond notes. It is again this time there is bull run on the stock market and people are trying hard to ride on the dual listing of Old Mutual. It is not a coincidence that Old Mutual has a finger in all the listed companies. It is the benefactor of the panic buying and the attack of the bond notes.The lesson learnt here is that the foreigner owned companies that are systematically abusing our people and our economy.


LAUGHING LESSON
 On a lighter note, our conspiracy theorist buddies believe that last month's panic buying of everything was instigated by the powers that be. They say the move was to get people to bring out all that cash they been keeping out of the system. The bulk buying did indeed put money into the formal sector, but it is what the informal sector is doing with the money that the Reserve bank should ask this sector.

Still, on a lighter note, Robert Mugabe did get credit for the stabilisation of both the prices and the rates. it was said as soon as he got off the plane from New York .the prices and money rates went down.I observed it but I could not link his arrival with the fall of the prices and money rates.

THE LESSONS LEARNT

 We have learnt as Zimbabweans that just because the rates and price have stabilised, and the money changers have disappeared it doesn't mean the problem has been solved. Our fears as Zimbabweans is that are our threats are external. Our government, industry, commerce and the ordinary people should come together and work to exorcise the demon of sanctions on our country.

The panic buying and manipulation of money rates is a symptom of an economy under siege. The external trade and financial sanctions are the diseases.Let us fight for the total removal of the sanctions or let us find better means to bust the economic sanctions.

We are authors of our predicament, and we have the power to build or destroy our society and economy.

Bond Notes and The Panic Buyer Rates Explained

The bond notes celebrate a year in circulation. It has baffled the finance markets by not only competing with the USA dollar but proving its opponents wrong.The bond notes have a different effect on different markets. These markets and effects are often confused. This confusion l hope to clear below, l have split the markets into four.

I have also provided the rates for each market and the causes for the different rates.

THE BLACK MARKET 

I would like to define the black market and draw a clear line between it and the informal market. The former is illegal and the latter is legal.

The black market is where there are different rates on transactions. The nature of black market calls for different rates depending on the illegality of the transaction and the desperation and vulnerability of the parties to a particular transaction.

The rate can vary from 6% to 100%.

THE INFORMAL MARKET 

The informal market before the introduction of the bond notes was operating on a strict cash basis.The USA dollar was the medium for all transactions.

The informal market transactions are still on a strict cash basis, that is why we do not see swipe machines at Mbare or Sakubva market.
Here the dollar and the bond notes will trade at par. It is still one as to one.

THE FORMAL MARKET

 
The formal market is the least likely place for the bond note or any other currencies manipulation. It is the perfect market, as the economist likes to say.

The rates on all fronts are the same and only a business which acts unethically will be able to manipulate the rate.
In the formal market, a business that acts unethically is bound to be punished by the people through market forces and it is also bound to break some laws and will face appropriate legal sanctions.

THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET 

This market from my on observation is the most difficult to be able to distinguish it from the three markets above. The difficulty arises because the bond note is both an internal and external holder of value.

This problem is further made more complex by the fungibility of the bond notes going beyond our borders. The bond notes are an acceptable currency for business transactions in our neighbour states.

It is the most difficult market as all three of the above makes up this market. This makes the foreign exchange rate for the bond note to fluctuate between 6% and 30%. This rate depends on the availability or to be more accurate,  the supply of the bond notes on the market.

MY PARTING SHOT

I am a proponent of the bond notes and from my observations, the bond notes have had a positive impact on our financial system. I believe the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has worked around the financial sanctions against Zimbabwe.

It is the enemies of Zimbabwe who were calling bond notes a failure before their introduction. These people like the fake born - again brothel runner, the fake pastor for hire and the professional paid political agitators cannot discount the positive effect the bond notes have had on our economy.

The Diasporan In the Rhodesian Shadows

This is post is going to ruffle one or two diasporans hair and I am just in my I-do-not-care mood. You know what I mean!!

The diasporan I am after is that black person who left the country as political refugees-not economic refugees. These are people who were given special dispensation to stay in the UK, USA or South Africa. These are people who faked their way to get visas or even permanent residence in those foreign countries.

I go ballistic when these people get into the front when it comes to tarnishing the image of their country. They are the most vocal against the land issue and indigenisation of the economy. They mimic their masters and hosts fears. These people speak and talk like their own masters. The slaves had a nice term for them. Kitchen niggers!!! I still call them that.

 When they left Zimbabwe leaving their motherland to take up what they thought as an opportunity in the diaspora. They made a lot of the mistakes of their lives and the older they get the more bitter they become. They are frustrated that fellow blacks now own farms which used to belong to their white masters. They do not believe that a black man can run a company or govern a country.

It is as if every black person in the diaspora believes and think that Robert Mugabe messed up their lives. They have the same attitude as their Rhodesian masters. They feel for their masters on the land issue and are the first to tell you how a black person can not govern a country. They speak of dispossession of land which they never possessed. They are the authorities of white property rights in Africa, but they do not even own a house in Europe or the USA.

These diasporans believe that we as a nation have messed up. Today I just want to force these diasporan to reflect on where they have messed up. What have you messed up? Why do you think your own brother cannot run a country?

Here is why you think like you are white Rhodesian in exile;

1.  You have lost touch with your kith and kin. You can not create a working relationship with people in Zimbabwe.
2. You have not read enough of Zimbabwe's laws, policies and regulations but you read their biased and opinionated reviews on white supremacist's media channels.
3. You believe that Zimbabwe"s government does not have any developmental programs or strategies like Zimasset.
4. You have no respect for news emanating from Zimbabwe public broadcasting services and public media but read news from the white supremacist's sponsored news sources.
5. You have not taken time to understand Zimbabwe's political system but rely on the opinionated white supremacist's media outlets.
6. You believe there are no sanctions on Zimbabwe but against the person of Robert Mugabe.

 Well, my brother and sister, I am not saying you should have stayed at home to hustle for a piece of land, farm or mine and to be part of the revolution. You are still part of us. We have a country to built and the Rhodesians still have a country to destroy. That country is Zimbabwe.

The Ides of March

THE QUEEN BEE AND THE NEW HIVE
The lady who was fired from a party yet to be born did something in March. She pointed her middle finger to her worker bees in ZPF and to Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC-T. She then proceeded to form her own party.

As l had earlier indicated in my previous post she had to shake her war veteran image and her past to links to ZANU Pf if she has to attract the money from Western regime change sponsors.

In March Joice Mujuru weaknesses were exposed. The BBC had her in a tight knot as she failed to articulate her position on the land issue, Gukurahundi and why she formed her own party.

NERA DEMONSTRATION
The self-declared 'elections' reforms watchdog NERA called for a demonstration and they did half fill Robert Mugabe Square. The demo was called after Rita Makarawu of the Zimbabwe Election Commission had walked out of a meeting organized and called for by the disorganized NERA.

The demo organizers said Robert Mugabe Square ( Haru Mutasa of Al Jezera sheepishly called it Freedom Square ) was half full which means, in reality, it was half empty.It was a non-event as the people of Zimbabwe went on with their lives.

Didymus Mutasa of ZPF, Morgan Tsvangirayi,  Evan Mawarire and other suspicious characters were at the  NERA demonstrations. Some were booed from the stage.Some were cheered off the stages. Some were lifted onto the stage. Others never reached the stage.

This sums up how our so called opposition is disoriented and disorganised. 

IS HE A SAVIOUR OR A TYSON
On the same day of  NERA demonstration, members of the ruling party's Women League carried out a demonstration calling for the ousting of Comrades Sandi-Moyo and Sarah Mahoka to resign their posts.Whoever organized the demo must have a hidden agenda. The political commissar Saviour a.k.a Tyson Kasukuwire professed total ignorance of the demonstration.
The political commissar has been accused by both the war veterans and youths, as out of touch with the grassroots of the party.

He might be the saviour of the party or as destructive as  Mike Tyson.

THE PROFESSOR AND THE PAPERS
This month Professor had a tiff with the state media. Jonathan was accused of misleading the public. He had said what he saw in Tsholotsho but the state media wanted him to say what was politically correct. He misfired again about the cost of the Command Agriculture program, and the state media was quick to point fingers at him. I feel there is no love lost between the state media and Professor Jonathan Moyo.

For the record, though the Professor's twitter handle has more followers than the state media publications. I think that the guys at the Herald and Sunday Mail are just out fo some mischief.

THE BOND NOTES
The bond notes reached 100 days and the usual suspects, the international banks and the illegal dealers are at it again. A three tier system of our monetary system has been created and the Reserve Bank has remained a toothless bulldog as no punitive action has been taken against the culprits.

I demand the governor of the Reserve Bank to proactive and come up with an effective piece of law to stop the bond notes abuse and manipulation by banks and illegal foreign currency dealers.

THE GREAT CAF AND THE GREEN MACHINE COUPS
The Green Machine and Philip Chiyangwa were in on fire in March in our Football circles.

Hayatou was pushed out of office by the solo effort of Bra Fidza. Bra Fidza always do his thing with style and great noise. Yes, Bra Fidza was there.

T.P Mazembe were the victims of the ides of March. They lost to CAPS United of Zimbabwe.The current  CAPS United squad has by this act made history.  It was a great month for Zimbabwean football!!

It was a month of positive and negative ides .

Zimasset Successes Unpacked

The Command Factor

You have heard of the success of the command agriculture. The program has managed to stimulate the growth of the agriculture sector in terms of production and employment levels.The program has also managed to stimulate the rural areas economies.
There are those among us who have been critics of the command agriculture program. It has become a victim of its own success, as people are at pain to dismiss it as a non-event, but its result is there for us all to see.



The Two Million Jobs Myth or Fact

The command agriculture has been a game changer in terms of employment levels on the farms and in downstream industries such as milling, processing and transportation of the produce. The facts on the ground indicate that more than two million people were employed in one way or the other during the program.

 I know we have heard a lot of air on the jobs created!! By using the simple method that is used in USA employment data, we might have created those jobs. The USA classify jobs as farm and non-farm jobs.



Import Substitution And Job Creation

One of the objectives of Zimasset is import substitution and saving the vital foreign currency, the government has come up with Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016. The purpose of this instrument is to protect local industries and create jobs.

The Value-addition and the Food and Nutrition Clusters have seen the most noticeable deliverables of  ZIMASSET. In Mutare, for example,  a cooking oil manufacturer Willowton has set up shop and Cairns Food has increased both production and employment.

 The two entities are going to contract farmers to produce crops for their production intake. This will create more jobs downstream.

ZIMASSET In Action

The people of Zimbabwe are seeing the result of Zimasset and will continue to support and benefit from it.

My Budget Proposals For 2018

SECOND-HAND MOTOR VEHICLES

 I propose that motor vehicles duty on second-hand cars should be lowered as the duty only serves to burden the poor as it makes transport expensive. We do not have the comparative advantage in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and the so-called motor vehicle manufacturing companies are importing kits which they assembly.

These companies in light of advancing technology and automation are never going to employ as much as they were employing in the seventies and eighties.

In short, we do not have the motor industry to protect, and the notion that second-hand cars are a nuisance is an elitist one. The benefit of having more second-hand motor vehicles on our roads beat that of not importing as I shall highlight on my second proposal.

CASH AND SPOT FINES
I propose that spot fines charged for traffic offenses be reduced to between $1.00 and $5.00. All other fines should be paid directly to the Consolidated Revenue Fund by direct deposit or by bank transfers.

FUEL TAX

I propose that a fuel tax is charged per every liter of diesel and petrol. This will work as opposed to the one-time import duty on the second-hand vehicle. Every vehicle that is moving on our roads will be contributing to the fiscus; in short, it means every vehicle registered or not, will become a revenue source that will contribute to the fiscus  on a daily basis. The more the merrier as the Englishman will say.

This tax is hard to invade and easy to collect and Zimra should have their supermarket machines at every service station and collect hard cash every morning.

 50%  EXCISE DUTY ON THE ALCOHOL

I propose that the excise duty is the same on imported beer and local beers as these are all manufactured by a cartel. Canned and bottled beer is being dumped in Zimbabwe and the importers should fund the fiscus. I propose 50% excise duty on a liter of beer, wine, and spirits.

Gonomics (the economics according to Gideon Gono) used to call these sin taxes let the sinners pay. The official smugglers (Multinational Corporations) and the unofficial smugglers pay the tax for their sins. Amen!!!

EXPORT PRE- INSPECTIONS

I propose that all exports be pre-inspected and valued before being shipped. I also propose that all companies that export and do not want their shipments inspected pay a refundable deposit of say $10 000 per consignment for exemption.

My proposal is in view of the rampant under-invoicing by multinational companies and former foreign-owned companies especially those in Manicaland 

WHISTLE BLOWERS FUND
I propose that a fund for whistleblowers be set up at the Anti Corruption Commission which will reward people who make genuine

reports on corruption be rewarded. This will go a long way in reducing corrupt activities in our economy.


More Proposals to Follow

Coalition of Confusion

We have heard a lot about the coalition of the Zimbabwean opposition parties. It seems it's all about talking and more talking. The opposition as a whole is in disarray. It is a coalition of confusion.

Deadline for Coalition

Morgan Tsvangirayi had set up a deadline for a coalition. The deadline was the 31st of July. It has come to pass. The self-declared head of coalition had the cheeky ( no pun intended ) to threaten the other parties that if they fail to meet the deadline, he would go it alone. A coalition of one party l believe!!

The other parties, which are not real parties but for individual hiding behind names, just put up their middle fingers at Morgan Tsvangirayi and his deadline.

Our question to Morgan Tsvangirayi the self-declared leader of the yet to be formed a coalition is: What next?

The Price for Coalition

The little parties led by individuals, including the likes of Hosea Chipanga,  Egypt Dzinemunhenzva and of late Nkosana Moyo are aware of the price they have to pay just to associate with MDC-T and Morgan Tsvangirayi. It will cost them their clean names just to sit down on the same table.

MDC-T has had a history of being a project of the former Rhodesian white supremacists settlers. It has been seen as the sponsor of economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. It is also viewed as an opponent of the land reform program. Not one sane person would associate with the MDC-T and still have his or her hands clean.

The price is too high to pay for most parties.

Coalition Before or After Elections

I have an interesting observation on the coalition. Why can't MDC-T go it alone and contest the elections? Why is it that the MDC-T wants the coalition so desperately?

The MDC-T has lost support over the years due to dictatorial tendencies of its leadership. The likes of Ncube, Biti and Mangoma have jumped ship and formed their own parties. This has drained, confused and split the party's constituency.

It is my belief that we will have a coalition of some sort after the elections.

The coalition will according to the facts on the ground, be to make up one-third of the parliamentary seats. ZANU Pf is assured of two-thirds or more of the parliamentary seats.

The July lessons for all Zimbabweans

Lesson 1 The Office and The person

One lesson all Zimbabweans learned in July was that you have the person in the office and the office. It is acceptable to insult the President of Zimbabwe as a person but it is unacceptable to insult the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The politician in Robert Mugabe can be bar talk or food and fuel for a political rally. It is his office that we need to respect as Zimbabweans. This rule applies to all civil servants and their offices. We can insult and fire our politicians at rallies but We cannot do the same to our civil servants.
This l believe every village fool (including those fools with doctorates) have learned.

Lesson 2 The Laws of Gravity

I had to remind myself of my primary school teacher, sometime long ago and in some forgotten school in Bocha. He could throw a stone into the sky and ask the class if the where the stone had gone. We, in our childhood ignorance we came out with some very wild answers. The teacher repeated that exercise for three days and that is how we learned about the Law of Gravity.

The guys at The Sunday Mail and the Herald should look for my Grade 5 teacher and have a crash course on the Laws of Gravity. I think that they have seen gravity at work though, especially on the Saviour Kasukuwere and Professor Jonathan Moyo stories they have been feeding the public with.

Lesson 3 Politics is not a beauty contest

I am not going to be very hard on Advocate Fadzayi Mahere. She got a beautiful yellow manifesto and she cut a beautiful figure. Has she ever contested in a beauty contest?

I will like to congratulate her for offering herself as an independent candidate for  Mt. Pleasant.

I am still in the beauty contest. Who is the fairest of our  Cabinet ministers?
Is command agriculture ugly or beautiful? Was command agriculture ever discussed in Cabinet?  Were all Cabinet minister present?  Is command agriculture a beauty contest?

As a layman and a citizen, I leave those questions to the politicians and the guys at The Herald and The Sunday Mail.

I have learned some really good lessons on Zimbabwean politics!!!

Zimbabwe's Bond Notes And Archaic Banking Systems

Success or Failure

My recent experiences with my bank have shown me that our banking system needs a complete overhaul. I have seen queues growing and being told that there is no cash available. I have had my money transferred and getting lost in our banking systems. 

The fin-tech overhauls are necessary if we have to make our banking systems work. The cash shortages and bank queues are symptoms of archaic traditional systems and technology which is still being used by most of the banks. 
I suggest we get rid of the RTGS , the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe force bank to adapt to new technologies and give the Bond notes the respect they deserve. I will discuss how and why below.

REAL TIME GROSS SETTLEMENT SYSTEM 
Our economy and the world is going digital at a fast pace than the banks can match. Our banks still talk of  RTGS as if it is real time. It is not!! Real Time must be real time, not four weeks or four days it must be real time. It must be immediate.

REGULATED OR FORCED ADAPTION
The general banking public and I in particular needs improved customer service and products. I want my bank to have effective and efficient data. I need to bank with a bank that meets all regulatory requirements.  All my banks have archaic legacy core software systems, implemented decades ago, are letting me down. The Reserve bank must put in place regulations that force banks to replace old systems and adopt new financial technologies.
 
INCENTIVES ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES 

Cash or plastic money

It's a fact that adopting new technologies is costly in terms of retraining and retooling. Government via the Reserve Bank must offer incentives and tax rebates on training and waiver customs and exercise duty. These costs are deterring most banks from even trying to overhaul their systems. 

THE BANKING PUBLIC ATTITUDES
We have blamed banks and the Reserve of Zimbabwe for the queues and cash shortages.However, this is a mistake, the banking public has to familiarize themselves with the new technologies use this knowledge to reduce the queues and avert cash shortages in our economy.
I believe the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and banks are doing very little to familiarize the banking public on new technologies and persuading them to use the new technologies such as mobile banking.
 
BOND NOTES FUNGIBILITY 
The bond notes are now being used as a currency. They can cross the borders of Zimbabwe and can be moved from bank to mobile wallets. The fungibility of the bond notes is the cause of its shortage in our banking system.

Bond notes are crossing our borders 

The bond notes fungibility is higher that of neighboring countries notes. This is a positive development but our banks, including the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, still treat the bond note as a surrogate currency. It is time for the research on the movement, value, and quantity of the physical bond notes. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe can use this information to carry out market operations by printing the deficit in the physical bond notes in order to wipe out the bank queues and cash shortages. 

The reduction of bank queues and cash shortages is the responsibility of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the banks.The banking public expects action and results from them.