NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda yesterday said Zanu PF should stop blaming their failure to recalibrate the national economy on sanctions since Western countries have now lifted the embargo. VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
Mudenda told MPs during a post-budget seminar in Harare that sanctions could no longer be a scapegoat for failure to get industries functioning.
He said there appeared to be a lax attitude towards implementing policies meant to kick-start the economy.
“They have removed the sanctions and there is an opportunity that we must now hold onto and implement,” Mudenda said.
“Doors have opened and let us invite those who have money from Europe to bring in that money here in Zimbabwe under Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) and see whether they will refuse.”
He challenged experts to make follow–ups with government on the policy suggestions they would have made.
“Let us not be too technical discussing global trends, but let us be innovative regarding our own budget and come up with local solutions,” he said, adding that countries such as China, Germany and Japan where able to develop their economies from the ashes of World War 2.
He said local experts had failed to challenge government on the lack of implementation of what was agreed on in the Kadoma Declaration of 2010.
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“There is no emulation in our manufacturing sector and that is why they are in intensive care and they will die for lack of proper medication,” he said.
Mudenda said lack of innovation and failure to look for joint ventures was hindering growth of the manufacturing sector.
“Parliament should start probing why companies have closed in Zimbabwe, but started operating in other countries. GMD Shoes closed in Bulawayo, but are operating in South Africa. Tregger industries are now operating in China. Parliament is capable of calling ministries and questioning why there is no implementation,” he said.
Manicaland senator Patrick Chitaka said there was need to change the manner in which Parliament did post-budget analysis as the current method of bringing experts to present their analysis was not effective.
