FORMER Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda says there is need to engage other countries to ensure economic recovery and stop the idea of going it alone.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Masunda, who is in Brussels at the invitation of UN-Habitat and United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities to present a keynote paper on the role of culture and creativity in urban development at the European Union Development Symposium, said the invitation came at a good time where efforts should be redoubled in reconnecting with the rest of the world.
The former Harare mayor was also co-president of the United Cities and Local Government, an international body of all cities.
“The invitation couldn’t have come at a more propitious time when we, as patriotic citizens of our beloved Zimbabwe, should all be gallantly redoubling our efforts to constructively reconnect with the rest of the world,” Masunda said in an interview.
“We cannot continue endeavouring to go it alone and on our own terms as we have been doing since November 1997.
“It has been demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that the economic path which we chose to take as a country has not worked and will never work because, of inter alia, lack of clarity, certainty, consistency, predictability and sustainability in our policies at both central and local government level.”
Zimbabwe’s economy took a nosedive in November 1997 after the Zimdollar crashed following the unbudgeted payment of war veterans. Since the adoption of multi-currencies in 2009, the economy has been on a recovery path, but has since started showing signs of stagnation.
