By Farayi Machamire
Outspoken Zanu PF political activist Acie Lumumba has urged President Robert Mugabe to dissolve his “corrupt” Cabinet which he says has “no idea of running a business” and is dragging the country into economic oblivion.
In an interview with an online television station Lumumba, who had a public fallout with Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao, said for economic reform, Mugabe will have to get rid of the whole Cabinet.
“You have a Cabinet full of people who have never studied economics, who have never worked one day in their lives, they know nothing about business, they don’t run any business to talk about,” he said.
“You have people who have never studied business.
“It’s like you have 10 men responsible for dealing with women rights issues, listen to the madness of that. The Cabinet has to go.”
The former Zanu PF parliamentary aspirant for Hatfield said government cannot raise taxes when businesses are shutting down.
“You don’t give tax breaks to foreigners yet you are not going to give a young person the same tax breaks.
“Before you worry about paying back to IMF, why don’t you start with debt owed to local companies . . . so, until government is serious about economics . . . then we are headed nowhere.
“So, the solution, totally get rid of Cabinet, bring in people who know what they’re doing. Do not introduce bond notes; this will be the single most economic disaster for this country.”
Lumumba said bond notes will only spiral inflation out of control, scare foreign investors and bring Zimbabwe’s already collapsing economy to its knees.
He attacked the country’s banking laws, equating them to “dinosaurs” for requiring title deeds to acquire loans.
“You are a 25-year-old, where do you get title deeds from? So, you are telling me a young girl who wants to start a business in this country, who has no title deeds has no chance of starting a business in this country?”
The axed Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment (ZYES) chairman said it is high time Zimbabweans rise and demand their rights.
“Let’s free ourselves from mental slavery,” the Zanu PF youth executive member said.
“We think someone is going to come help us. This generation of young people, no one is coming to help us . . . we are out here on our own . . . the couple of things Zimbabweans should do is to give a deal to the Diaspora for them to come back.”
Lumumba said there was no reason why tycoons such as Strive Masiiwa, Mutumwa Mawere and James Makamba should be superstars in foreign countries yet Zimbabwe is failing to create superstars.
He called for Zimbabweans to start demanding answers from people in public office.
“It’s not funny that $10 million was given to the youth fund and no one knows where it went… the best thing Zimbabweans must do is to start holding their government accountable.” Daily News
