US diplomat says there will be clear signs of change in Zimbabwe in two months

United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols yesterday said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration was committed to change and there will be clear signs of reforms and change in two months.

In a series of tweets following an interview with a local radio station, Nichols said: “Everyone wants to do what is best for their country but that does not mean they agree. Uniformity is not a measure of democracy.”

He said the government’s transitional stabilisation programme which covers anti-corruption, expenditure cuts and political reforms would address the concerns the United States has.

“In 2 mnths; Zim will be in the midst of carrying out challenging reforms; there will be clear signs of those reforms and change,” the US embassy tweeted.

But this was met with a lot of skepticism from Zimbabweans who argued that nothing good could come from the present administration.

“Stop lying to us please. We have been waiting for long and things are getting worse and worse everyday. It’s becoming so frustrating in this country. We need to see those reforms making our lives better,” one follower tweeted.

Zimbabwe was plunged into uncertainty at the beginning of this month when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe unveiled a new monetary policy in which it reintroduced foreign currency accounts clearly sending a signal that the bond note was no longer at par with the United States dollar although governor John Mangudya insisted it was.

The currency plunged to 1:6 before rising to 1:2 and then falling again to 1:4.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube made things worse by announcing a two percent tax on transactions which was widely rejected by both business and the community though business has changed its mind.

Wallace Taruvinga, summed the attitude of most Zimbabweans on the current crisis in a separate thread when he said: “A hungry man is an angry man, it’s a universal principle not only does it affect Zimboz but everyone… Esau sold his birthright because of of a delicious bowl of stew cooked using Roil…we r trading our morals & traditions for e same..”

Taruvinga was responding to an exchange between newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube and industrialist Busisa Moyo.

Moyo, whose company manufactures cooking oil among other products had complained that it was now difficult to operate as they could not deliver the goods that people were complaining were in short supply.

“How do we deliver cooking oil to shops of people go ‘crazy’ even before we offload?” he tweeted. “It’s now a risk to our delivery van drivers, merchandisers & sales staff! We really want to help and we are in production but this is counterproductive!akusebenzeki iqiniso lihle”

Trevor Ncube responded: “My brother @Busisa74 there is something seriously wrong with many of us . We don’t want to admit it but the acute symptoms of a sick society are clearly evident. We need help.”

Tawonga Manungo would, however, not take that, saying: “Produce more cooking oil n people wont panic.There is a serious shortage n@Busisa74 your statement its fake and you are not admitting that you cant supply adequate cooking oil for the whole nation.The nation of Zim is being run by fake n deceiving people!”

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