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.

The job stay-away that was scheduled for 3 to 4 April 2007 in Zimbabwe has shown one big thing that the opposition and the Labour organization have got to address. This event was a failure and it spells the clear message that the concerned parties advocating for democratic change have to change their tactics.

It is now imminent fact that Znu PF has advanced it's machinations and it is nearing a point of becoming an immovable stumbling block to democracy not only at home but also regionally.

Considering that the SADC meeting that was held last week in Tanzania did not come with any meaningful solutions to the Zimbabwe crisis it is now upon the people of Zimbabwe to take the full task to them and show the way for change. In a revolution some people have to die. At the moment people in Zimbabwe think that their problems have to be solved by someone from outside but sadly this cannot be.

The reason why Zanu PF wins all the time is that it is a strategist movement that keeps ahead of people and has established a database of the country's political landscape including the profiles of those who are at the forefront of propelling change issues. Zanu PF has always made it clear even during the liberation struggle that it has to keep the main thing the main thing all the time and in this case it (Zanu PF) is Zimbabwe's main thing.

 The adage that 'the strength of a string is its weakest point' holds more water in the Zimbabwean political case than any other example. Zimbabwean re a hungry lot and sort of cowards ware so afraid of death that they cannot do anything once reminded of the past. This is the reason why Zanu PF stays in power. Hunger and fear play a pivotal role in sustaing the ruling party.

 Common philosophy tells us that a hungry man is an angry man but then to tame the anger yoone needs to have mechanisms of continuously controlling the hopes and hunger levels within optimistic levels. This is what the ruling party is doing at the moment.

 Many people are surprised why the ruling party continues to field the same candidate for presidential elections. This is a sure way of wining, all people in Zanu PF are power hungry and equally afraid of the beast that they created and cannot tame at the moment and as such one has to appear to be friendly to the system so that they can survive. If one dares to oppose the system it means their demise politically if they are fortunate.

 The greatest tragedy that Zimbabwe has ever experienced in its political sphere is the advent of Jonathan Moyo. This man destroyed the will of the people and put the country on a steep collision course with all control instruments lost. If Jonathan Moyo did not disturb the nation Zanu PF would have lost and we could be talking of a new era now.

 Now people are so afraid of expressing their rights and views to the extend that they walk more than 25km to work so as to appear that they are patriotic.

 Some companies are now paying transport allowances that are more than basic salaries and even providing food at work so that employees can keep on coming to work. This is unacceptable in any civiliseed society. I can only define this as modern day slavery because what has now become important to the employer is to bring the employee (slave) to work andexploit their energy.