Legislators took the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube to task on Wednesday when they asked him to provide answers on the government’s “failed” NDS-1 economic blueprint and the administration’s apparent lack of ideas on how to relieve public suffering as basic commodity prices continue to skyrocket.
Leading the charge in parliament was opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP for Mbizo in Kwekwe, Settlement Chikwinya.
He said, “in view of the dwindling levels of the quality of life where poverty is on the increase, what is the new strategy under which the Minister may be able to announce to Parliament which can give confidence to the citizens that the Government is able to provide solutions with regards to the current economic challenges which we are facing?
He added; “In the rural areas where we come from, civil servants are earning money that can only afford a dozen of bread. There are no medicines in the hospitals, people are suffering. What is the Government doing to ensure that they alleviate the suffering that people are going through?”
Professor Mthuli Ncube responded outlining what he described as the 14 pillars of the government’s National Development Strategy-1 document, and then reeled off achievements in infrastructure development, such as roads and dams.
“I must hasten to say that we have used Government resources to do this, which really means taxes from our citizens; we have not been having any loans from outside except for loans here and there but it is largely tax payers’ money,” said the Minister.
“Look at Muchekeranwa Dam, Marowa/Nyathi Dam, Vungu Dam in Midlands have started, Zimunya Dam in Nkayi has started, Tuli Manyange Dam in Matabeleland South has also started Silver Stream is also being sorted out and Kunzvi Dam is also being looked into.
“Let us look at Mbudzi Interchange; it is going to be a world class piece of infrastructure and all of that is from the implementation of the National Development Strategy 1, which is the first pillar of infrastructure,” said Mthuli.
Zimbabwe’s economy continues to worsen, as prices of basic commodities like cooking oil are rising at an alarming rate, and the local currency is losing its grip against the United States Dollar.
The war between Russia and Ukraine have further exacerbated the situation.