Zim business bemoan talks collapse

  1. Posted on Friday 29 August 2008 - 09:00
    Mugadza
    Munyaradzi Mugadza, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe
    The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has called on Zimbabwe's rival parties in the negotiating parties to quickly finalise the talks to find a long lasting solution to the political and economic standstill as this had triggered a further business decline in the country.
    Zim Dollars_Zimbabwe_Elles van Gelder
    CZI, president Callisto Jokonya said in a weekly newspaper that the economy has continued to plunge deeper in an abyss since the talks were adjourned.

    Since the collapse of the talks this month, the prices of basic foodstuffs and services have escalated beyond the reach of many while companies and industries continue to register low capacity of production.

    "Business is concerned with the delay of the talks and is appealing to politicians to consider the life of the 13 million people ahead of personal gains," Jokonya said.

    Jokonya bemoaned the economic sanctions slapped on Zimbabwe by Western countries and her allies adding that the power sharing talks should be finalized as a matter of urgency and end the country's woes.

    The Central Statistics Office (CSO) this week said the official inflation figures are estimated to be more than 11 million percent but the economic analysts revealed that the figure is estimated to be between 15 million and 20 million percent.

    The talks were suspended when opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai refused to sign the document saying he needed time to reflect.

    Zimbabweans from all sectors expressed happiness when Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF, Morgan Tsvangirai MDC and Arthur Mutambara of the breakaway MDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding hoping to bring normalcy to a devastated economy.

    The CZI said there will never be a solution without the two parties sitting down and finding a lasting economic and political solution". He said the only hope for Zimbabweans was pinned on the outcome of the power sharing talks.

    Former Deputy of Information and Publicity Bright Matonga said on Wednesday that the opposition MDC is not serious about hammering an agreement on the on going talks.

    Meanwhile the talks which were adjourned on the SADC heads of state in South Africa are expected to resume on Friday but Morgan Tsvangirai's party wants to petition SADC mediator Thabo Mbeki over the breach of Memorandum of Understanding by Robert Mugabe.

    Mugabe convened the 7th session of parliament without the consent of other leaders and is expected to announce his cabinet soon.

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