Jayprog

The announcement by the Zimbabwe government to force importers of cars and luxury goods to pay duty in foreign currency proves the point that this government does not respect its own laws.

This announcement is going to have disastrous effects on the already ailing economy in the sense that there are going to be a reduced imports. The definition of luxury items is as per Zanu Pf thinking and it is surprising to me that Zimbabwe still considers food items such as cooking oil flour, rice and margarine to name a few as luxury goods. This in simple terms means Zanu Pf has devised mechanism to stop people from importing food since it will be expensive to pay duty in forex. As such, every Zimbabwean will have to depend on the government for food and this works well for the coming elections in 2008.
I have always haboured a sense that this Zimbabwe government is supported by a strong devil considering the way things happen when elections are due. There is always a drought, escalation of shortages, diseases etc that always work in favour of Zanu Pf.

Recently the same government was breathing fire to estate agents and home owners for demanding rentals in for-ex saying the legal tender was still the Zimbabwe dollar.

In honest sense no investor would want to risk their money in Zimbabwe were laws can be changed over night to suit the ruling party.

This is not a surprise move because as for me I now know the tricks that Zanu Pf uses whenever its leadership is desperate to sustain a lavish life styles.

This type of machination once happened after farm invasions when duty on all farming equipment was scrapped. This was done so that the big wigs could get equipment for their newly acquired farms. This however backfired as the EU imposed sanctions and they were left with SA and Asia as the only places to do business with.

The reason why duty has to be paid in forex now is to enable the big wigs to sell the large stock of vehicles that they bought during the past months when they were speculating that Gono would devalue the dollar.

Now that these gooks were stuck with stock they could not sell, they searched for a reason and solution and they found it. Every Tom and Dick was able to import a used car and pay a paltry duty of between Z$500 000 and 1mil. This was a direct threat to the 'shefs' in Zanu Pf.

In simple terms people are supposed to buy from the shefs and not compete with them. The introverts in Zanu Pf are now working hand in glove with the Reserve Bank govenor to propel austerity.

People have to realize that Zimbabwe is a tilting play-field with movable goal posts and as long as Zanu Pf is in control of the playfield you cannot win the game the rules change faster than the speed of play and by the time you think you are about to reach the goal post you are taken back several steps.
Zimbabwe is a country run by an oligarch geriatric gerrymander. The recent announcement to increase the constituencies proves this point and paves ways for nipping the birth of democracy in the bud.

I would rather stay a foreigner in a country that has leadership that respects freedom and the well being of its citizens and 'the other creatures as well.

Zimbabwe is a typical Stagflation and the major priority should be restoring investor confidence rather than scaring them. The government should delist vehicles as luxury considering the transport problems that the majority of Zimbabweans are facing.