The Zimbabwe government will not “deviate from engineering its economic revival agenda” and will press ahead with its import restrictions, according to the country’s industry and commerce minister, Mike Bimha.
He said that the government had consulted widely before implementing the import control policy, adding that the policy was in Zimbabwe’s “best interests”.
Thousands of people blocked the border post on Friday in protest at the implementation of statutory instrument number 64 of 2016 (SI) which restricts the import of basic goods, including various foods and other fast moving consumer goods.
Senator Lillian Timveous, Chairperson National Domestic Affairs for Zimbabwe’s official opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said that it was “sad to note that the country continues to slide deeper and deeper into crisis”.
“The economic situation is deteriorating by the day, but it seems the government of the day lacks the imagination, the capacity and the right policy package to get out of this crisis and Zimbabweans are now fighting for survival,” she said.
According to Timveous, the screws have been tightened on the importation of essential merchandise which is either “scarce or very expensive” in Zimbabwe. “Given the current economic malaise, the instrument totally defies logic. It is not only repugnant to the basic tenets of economic rights, it is also out of touch with the economic reality facing the country,” she said.
She refuted Bimha’s statement, stating that this had been done without consultation or engagement with the key stakeholders in the sector and pointed out that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) had not given affected stakeholders time to adjust to the new regulations as they had never been publicised or discussed.
“The implementation of the new regulations must be suspended pending consultations with the informal sector, Zimra, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and other stakeholders.”
National police spokesperson, senior assistant commissioner Charity Charamba, was cited by Zimbabwean radio station, Nehanda, as saying that police had arrested 50 people so far who were part of the protests in Beitbridge.
FTWO has also learned that there is still a heavy military and police presence at the border today (Monday) and a “huge backlog” of trucks awaiting clearance.
