Zimbabwe’s ruling party rejects economic dialogue with MDC

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party has rejected calls for dialogue by the main opposition to resolve the country’s worsening economic problems saying its rivals were rejected by the electorate. Zanu PF won resoundingly in last year’s elections to end a coalition government that had been formed in 2009. However, Mugabe’s new government has failed to prevent an economic decline that began during the run-up to the controversial elections.

Former Finance minister, Tendai Biti of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had on Tuesday told journalists in Harare that only political dialogue could help stop the economic collapse. He advised, “All we can say as MDC is that the nation needs dialogue.”

Furthermore, he went on to say, “It is clear that Zanu PF is directionless, and clueless and there has to be dialogue in this country. It is very key that there has to be dialogue…..It is a very dangerous situation to have a country which is not talking to each other.”

However, Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo claimed that MDC said there would be no talks anytime soon. “It is understandable that Tendai Biti should want to be a Cabinet minister again but the voters said not for another five years and we should respect that,” he added.

Last year, Zanu PF and the MDC parties ended their coalition government that ended in July. Despite being rocked by bitter political disputes, the coalition is credited with easing tensions stoked by the violent 2008 vote and forcing some kind of economic stability and recovery.

Biti also warned that the government could be forced to revert back to using Zimbabwe’s defunct currency due to the liquidity problems in the economy. He advised, “We cannot print the US dollar….They (Zanu PF) will have no option … the only way out will be to revert to the Zim dollar.”

Gumbo hit back claiming Biti had created economic problems as Finance minister that Mugabe’s new administration cannot resolve in six months.

Source: The Africa Report