MDC A principal Tendai Biti has described Finance minister Mthuli Ncube as a vacillating personality who makes drmatic U-turns in policy positions.
In an exclusive wide ranging interview with the Mail and Telegraph in Harare, Biti took a swipe at the finance minister whom he accused of “singing for his supper.”
He however went on to shift blame on the ruling party ZANU PF which he described as “beast” that Ncube is weak to face.
“He is an amateur and weak, this economy requires someone who is strong, someone who can look the beast in the eye because Zanu PF is a beast. They will not allow reforms and as a matter of fact, there is no regime that has ever reformed itself out of power,” Biti said.
Biti, who once held the same portfolio during the Government of National Unity (GNU) Ncube must improve on consistency.
“He is a complete waste of time. Part of his problem is that he doesn’t have character, he doesn’t have honesty and he doesn’t have consistency. He suffers from what I call foot and mouth disease which is a disease that you say something today and you reverse it tomorrow,” he said.
He added: “His first announcement was that he is going to demonetise the bond note and he reversed that. He once said that the bond note can never be equal to the US dollar and he reversed the statement again.”
The outspoken politician also lambasted Ncube’s budget proposal saying he proved to be a structural flip flopper.
“In his budget statement he claims we are going to retrench ghost workers which is essential and the following week he is in the newspapers saying we don’t have enough money so if you have a structural flip flopper you have got a problem,” he said.
During his stint as finance minister, Biti was popular with his mantra that the economy needed what he called a ‘eat what you kill’ approach. – Mail & Telegraph
