ONE of the biggest criticisms of the government is policy inconsistency and this was in full view at the weekend, when contradictory statements by Industry minister Mike Bimha were reported in State media.
Comment: NewsDay Editor
On Saturday, Bimha was quoted saying Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016 had served its purpose and will be scrapped off, while on the following day, the same minister is quoted as saying the regulation would stay in place.
It is now difficult for anyone to know what the government’s stance on this issue is and portrays the government as both confused and confusing
There are many such instances, where the government indicates left and ultimately turns right, which leaves market watchers perplexed on what really the State intends to do.
In 2015, the country witnessed an ugly brawl between Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and his Indigenisation counterpart, Patrick Zhuwao, on the Indigenisation Act, which up to now has not been concluded.
If the government is serious about improving the country’s ease of doing business, then such policy inconsistences and contradictory statements should not be allowed.
The government ought to effuse clarity and transparency, so any investor knows well in advance what they will get if they were to pour money into Zimbabwe.
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We have heard that there are investors waiting on the side lines, waiting for political and economic clarity, but after so many years of opaque policies and inconsistences, surely these investors may have left and looked for places where the return on their investment is more certain.
It just does not make sense that one person says two different things to different people in such a short space of time — his confusion points to a dearth of leadership.
This is even before merits or demerits of the statutory instrument are discussed and already there is such confusion on whether the regulations will be scrapped or they will continue.
Going forward, it is important for the government to speak with one voice saying one thing, otherwise the reforms the authorities are trying to put in place would be a waste of time and money.
Authorities can concentrate on the ease of doing business and wooing so-called mega deals, but this will all be in vain if there is policy inconsistency and lack of clarity on what direction the country is taking.
It is now incumbent on Bimha to set the record straight and inform the nation which of the two statements attributed to him is the correct one.
