…as citizens criticise him for his ill temper

By Zivanai Dhewa

People across the board have expressed disappointment at ZiFM Stereo for presenting an unbalanced panel to debate serious economic issues, after they fielded a seasoned economist, Professor Ashok Chakravarti and Tendai Biti, a politician whom listeners say knows nothing about economics.

Biti became too emotional and political during the interview prompting netizen Jabu ka Mangena to post on the ZiFM Stereo Twitter page advising them to engage economists on economic matters and debates.

“Biti’s political affiliations blind him to the reality of the laws of economics.  He needs to think independently,” Mangena said.

William Takawira added saying that “let’s have more interviews but not with Biti, bring real economists like Prosper Mutambara or Tapiwa Mashakada, we want to debate real economic issues not to listen to insults.”

“We need real economists to argue it out, uyu Biti should argue constitutional amendments or such issues,” said another netizen, Admire Musingarambwi.

At pains to bring the debate back on the economic course after Biti had taken it to political levels and using emotions and vulgar to express himself, Prof Chakravart sought to clarify his standing as an economist.

“I would like to say to my fellow comrade here that as an independent economist, I don’t belong to any political party whatsoever, either ZANU PF or MDC Alliance or anybody else. I speak for myself as a professional economist, on the other hand, he (Biti) has a very distinct political agenda,” said Prof Chakravart.

Biti has been on an offensive in the international community trying to discredit every effort that the New Dispensation is doing to rebuild trust and confidence in the country’s economic sector. It is his agenda to portray a bleak picture of every Government effort.  This is why that Biti insists on participating on debates that he has no merit. His sole purpose being to erode and destroy people’s confidence in Government efforts in order to cloud the ray of hope that is seemingly within the horizon as articulated by Prof Chakravart.

“As an economist, I would say we are now beginning to follow more rational economic policies.  I think this needs to be recognised and the results will show very soon in a couple of months,” added Prof Chakravart.