Zanu-PF youths speak on price hikes

Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau
ZIMBABWEANS should exercise their rights as consumers to resist unjustified regime change-inspired price increases, the Zanu-PF Youth League has said.

This, according to Youth League national political commissar Cde Godfrey Tsenengamu, was in line with Government policy of a market-driven economy.

He said this while addressing a Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial youth inter-district conference in Chinhoyi on Wednesday.

Cde Tsenengamu said consumers should not support businesses that take advantage of them.

“As a country, we were used to a scenario where Government and the President would interfere when prices escalate and command that they be reduced, but President Mnangagwa kept quiet to allow market forces to determine prices,” he said.

His sentiments also come as youths have vowed to defend President Mnangagwa and the ruling party Zanu-PF against externally managed local threats using some unscrupulous companies to distort the market and foment unrest.

“The best run economies are those which are market driven,” said Cde Tsenengamu. “That is why the President did not interfere. As Zimbabweans we are quick to conform, that is why we are being held to ransom or hostage by unscrupulous businesspeople.”

Cde Tsenengamu said prices of basic commodities can only stabilise when consumers exercise their discretion to resist unfair prices.

“Unscrupulous businesspeople held on to basic commodities and increased prices willy-nilly,” he said. “We have to know as a nation that if we want prices to stabilise, it’s not going to take the President or Government. It takes us the people. We are the market.” Cde Tsenengamu said the way people respond determines whether prices remain high or fair.

Youths, he said, should play their part to complement President Mnangagwa’s efforts in reviving the economy.

Cde Tsenengamu said youths should stand in solidarity with the President through a Solidarity March on February 23 in Harare where about 200 000 youths from across the country were expected.

He said the solidarity march was aimed at galvanising the people who voted for the party and the President.