CIVIL society movements have demanded the immediate resignation of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, John Mangudya over the failure of bond notes to ease the country’s cash crisis.
Addressing a press conference in Harare Tuesday, spokesperson for the organisations, Pastor Evan Mawarire of This Flag movement, said Mangudya had promised to resign if the bond notes failed.
“In essence, the government has succeeded in taking our money as citizens,” he said.
“The Honorable governor of the Reserve Bank is on record committing to us during a citizens’ meeting that he would resign if the bond notes failed.
“Bond notes have completely failed. We challenge the governor of the Reserve Bank to honour his word and resign as he promised to do in the event of failure.”
Mawarire said government’s failed policies had resulted in the collapse of the country’s economy as they were not conducive to investment and growth, adding that bond notes had failed because they were not at par with the US Dollar and had served only to take away the US dollars from the ordinary Zimbabweans.
He said the majority of Zimbabweans were living in abject poverty, with the government failing to deliver the 2.2 million jobs it promised.
Failure to deliver jobs
The cleric, who was last year arrested for allegedly trying to overthrow the government after helping launch protests against President Robert Mugabe, said youths were the biggest losers.
“The young people of our nation are amongst the brightest in the region yet we are being cheated out of our chance to grow and raise our families in a decent society.
“We are graduating in our thousands every year and ending up on the streets doing nothing,” he said.
Mawarire said youths were being used for political mileage while not being afforded the chance to lead and flourish.
He denounced the marginalisation and exclusion of some regions, saying the people will not be divided and classed.
“We put the government on notice that we will no longer accept marginalization, division and being treated as second rate citizens,” he said.
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Credit: All Africa
