PHILLIMON MHLANGA
Businesses affected by last week’s riots are scrambling for rescue packages from the government, it emerged this week.
Last week, the country’s major cities, especially Harare and Bulawayo, experienced acts of vandalism following the 150% fuel price increase announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The violence erupted when the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) called for a threeday stayaway in protest of the new fuel price, sharp price increases in the shops, and the general high cost of living in the country.
The government has blamed the violence on the opposition MDC Alliance, but the opposition party has rejected the accusation.
Analysts, however, say with the government’s austerity measures beginning to bite, young people see their chances of employment dwindling, and as such they are now more prone to engage in antigovernment violence.
But the government says the austerity measures will revive the ailing economy and inspire investor confidence.
The riots, however, reflect the alienation and resentment of many young people. It is estimated that more than 90% of Zimbabweans are unemployed.
Denford Mutashu, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers, confirmed yesterday that the riots and looting that took place last week put the spotlight on troubled businesses, and they have consequently approached the government for a rescue package.
“This week we had a meeting with the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce [Mavis Sibanda] at which we discussed a possible rescue package,” Mutashu told the Business Times.
“The government is willing to help. Now, we are trying to quantify and qualify the damage done to our members across the country.
We have started with Harare and the exercise is still ongoing. The major losses, I think occurred in Bulawayo. So we are going to Bulawayo on Friday to do the exercise.”
Neither Sibanda nor her minister, Nqobizita Mangaliso Ndlovu, could be reached for comment.
