Minister’s claims stun supporters

By Bernard Chiketo

Zimbabwe’s per capita income has grown from US$900 to US$1 900 over the past year in spite of the appearances of worsening economic climate, setting it on course to meet its target of being a middle income country by 2030, a senior government official has sensationally claimed.

Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri told Zanu PF supporters at Mutasa DC, who had gathered to celebrate her appointment as the first female to hold the post in Zimbabwe, said the improved per capita income was revealed by the international community.

She said this was a result of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to foster unity in rebuilding the country’s economy which was in the dump for nearly two decades at the back of Zanu PF’s ruinous economic policies.

Muchinguri-Kashiri said all the improvements have come about since his ascendancy to the presidency at the back of a soft coup last November.

“President Mnangagwa’s call from the beginning is a call for unity as Zimbabweans because the work at hand is to develop this country through opening the country for business and transform it into a middle income country — moving it from US$900 per capita income to a bigger value in 2030.

“We were at US$900 but the economy has already improved in his short time in office and that has gone up to US$1 900. This is being confirmed by the international community as we were even looking down upon ourselves,” she said.

Muchinguri-Kashiri — who is also Zanu PF chairperson — said the improved per capita income can also be shown through the improved lives of farmers and the sheer volumes of vehicles on the country’s roads.

“This is being witnessed through our tobacco farmers’ lifestyles, the huge volume of vehicles on the roads, it’s because of current economic activities and the growth of the economy,” she said.

She added that the current crippling diesel shortages were due to an increase in economic activities with the country’s diesel consumption increasing more than threefold from $4 million to $14 million per annum.

“Even the consumption of diesel. We would use $4 million a week for its importation but we are now consuming $14 million. This means demand has grown due to ongoing economic activities. Industry and farmers are demanding diesel as they are appreciating the thrust and vision of our president,” the Defence minister said. DailyNews