Staff Reporter

Following the spiral increase of prices over the past weeks, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed to decisively deal with economic saboteurs who were manipulating the market to destabilise the economy.

Writing in his weekly Sunday Mail column, President Mnangagwa said that it was now time for Government to deal with businesses which were deliberately manipulating the market seeking a political upset. He further stated that, as Government, they were going to suspend trading of those businesses until they were able to handle transactions in multi-currency.

“We are even aware of certain businesses which deliberately disable point-of-sale gadgets in order to force the consumer to buy key goods in one currency, contrary to the law of the land. Maybe the time has now come for Government to insist that such businesses who do such tricks should suspend trading until they are able to technically handle transactions in multi-currency, as is bade by our laws.

“No one in business should doubt my Government's resolve to correct blatant market failures, and to counteract and foil sinister moves to destabilise our economy. Government’s responsibility is to protect the consumer and to ensure stability in the market and inside the country. We will take all measures necessary to ensure there is stability, including painful ones should that ever become necessary,” said President Mnangagwa.

Additionally, the President identified the economic saboteurs as politicians disguised as company executives seeking a political upset.

“We even wonder if at all we are dealing with business anymore, or with politicians disguised as company executives, seeking a political upset. Privileges can be withdrawn; the same way they are granted. Equally, politicians seeking to engineer market failures for definite political outcomes will be dealt with as political opponents, and through rules appropriate to politics,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President reiterated that any business practices which supress the use of any one currency recognised by the country’s laws were both illegal and do undermine the Government.