Canadian ambassador says Zimbabwe should be given time to institute reforms

Canada’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Rene Cremonese today said Zimbabwe should be given time to implement reforms that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has promised.

Speaking after paying a courtesy call on Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Cremonese said he had been briefed that there was a number of bills and pieces of legislation that were being dealt with to align them to the 2013 constitution.

“It’s clear that there is a need for consultation and for time in order for any piece of legislation to be amended or new piece of legislation (to come in) as a request for consultation among the parties themselves, in committees and other structures so it’s not something that comes overnight. You don’t make good policy or good legislation by moving too quickly,” he was quoted by the Herald as saying.

Yesterday United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols also met Mudenda and was assured that the country was implementing reforms but he said: “The proposals from this government have been wonderful, but we need to see concrete action and Parliament is where those actions take place: repeal of POSA and AIPPA, electoral reforms, implementation of some of the recommendations of the observer missions and improving the environment for doing business. That is all parliamentary business.”

Zimbabwe, including Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, has said it is repealing both the Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Yesterday prosecutors in Marondera refused charge teachers who are marching to Harare demanding better salaries, an offence that would have fallen under POSA.

The United States is insisting on reforms to lift sanctions it imposed on Harare 15 years ago.

The country is currently facing an economic crisis which has seen prices rocket and inflation soar from 5.39 percent in September to 30.1 percent last month. It stood at 2.68 in March.

Ncube says the increase in inflation was expected but prices should stabilise with the country getting back to single digit inflation by end of next year.

Economist Eddie Cross said Zimbabwe will be a different country by March next year but has urged authorities to abolish exchange controls and allow exporters to retain all their foreign currency.

He said this would result in the exchange rate going down to about 2:1 against the present 3.5 to 1.

He also said Mnangagwa’s administration was doing a lot but has lousy public relations.

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