Mudenda says Mthuli Ncube must address Parliament on the state of the economy

Zimbabwe Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has asked Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to advice Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to address Parliament on the state of the economy as soon as he returns to the country.

Ncube has not attended Parliament since he announced the two cents per dollar transaction tax and the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.

Opposition legislators wanted to question him the new measures but he was not available both on 3 October and 10 October.

The country has experienced an acute shortage of fuel and prices have skyrocketed since Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya announced the new measures.

Ncube has, however, addressed press conferences, a meeting in London and was attending the World Bank/IMF meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

There was speculation that Ncube had not consulted President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the new measures before announcing them but Mnangagwa has solidly stood behind him.

Mnangagwa’s party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has, however, complained that it was not briefed before the measures were announced.

Mnangagwa and Ncube say the measures are necessary to stop the “bleeding” of the economy and say Zimbabweans have to brace up for “painful but necessary” reforms to get the country back on track.

Muchinguri-Kashiri was the acting leader of government business in Parliament this week.

The leader of government business in Parliament is Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

Parliament sits on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and Ncube is likely to be spared the blushes when he addresses Parliament because reports say the black market rate which had fuelled price hikes seems to be falling.

There are, however, still long queues for fuel though the government says there is enough fuel to last the country for the next 36 days.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change is using the crisis to push the government for negotiations saying it has the keys to the economy.

ZANU-PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, however, rubbished this saying that Mnangagwa was given a full mandate to run the country and is on top of the situation.

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