Chamisa promises to phase out bond notes

Published: 03 May 2018

MDC-T and MDC Alliance presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, has pledged to retire Zimbabwe's surrogate currency, the bond notes, which are pegged at par with the United States dollar, by September if he wins the upcoming general elections.

Chamisa told NewsDay that Zimbabweans had suffered enough because of the bond notes, losing their lifetime savings to a "worthless currency" that needed to be discarded.

"When the new Zimbabwe comes, people of this country will enjoy their lives again. The first thing my government will do is to retire the bond note by September," he said.

"We will ensure that there are adequate US dollars in our banks. We will make sure that the multicurrency basket has money, while at the same time my government will be making inroads, so that the country can join the Rand Monetary Union and the (South African) Customs Union, the current government does not have this vision."

The opposition leader said the issue of foreign currency shortages, erosion of disposable household incomes and high premiums in running business was not economic, but political, being pushed into the face of ordinary Zimbabweans by poor leadership and corruption.

"This country is under the burden of poor leadership. The burden on people is being caused by corruption and greed by a leadership that is after self-aggrandisement.
"The MDC government will remove this burden, which places premiums on business and the workers, we will deal with corruption and make deals that benefit the people and not the officials," he said.

Chamisa said President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the entire Zanu-PF team were not leaders, but commanders, who think everything should fall in line when commanded.

"The difference between me and Ngwena (Mnangagwa) is that he is a commander, I am a smart governor, he will come with command economics, I will bring smart economics, he will bring command salaries, I am bringing smart salaries, salaries which suit the work that people are doing, which will earn them a decent lifestyle," he said.

Chamisa also proposed the creation of a social safety net for pensioners, whom he said are being shortchanged.

"We want to fix the issue of pensions, you can't have a worker getting $80, as pension per month, let's go back to giving workers, we also want to provide free health for all those above 65 years and above, access to free public transport, having metro trains," he said.
- newsday

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