The ruling Zanu-PF party has said that Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube must realise that the party is supreme to the government and should always consult it before making any policy pronouncements.
The ruling party has distanced itself from the Fiscal Measures which were announced by Ncube which have been blamed for the spiralling of foreign currency exchange rates on the black market. This has resulted in shortages of basic commodities as consumers seek to take advantage of the situation and to protect their earnings.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu said,
Yes, that is what I have said. That we were not consulted and we think the current problems are tell-tale signs of teething problems of the new arrangement which Zanu PF is working to resolve. I think government is used to coming up with policies after their deliberations which it then pronounces. You will realise that Zanu PF did not have a working system with permanent people, but the situation is different now and we have a functional structure that must be consulted before any policy pronouncement.
Zanu-PF’s spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo added,
There could have been a lapse in communication, but now there is no conflict. The minister indicated to the nation that the tax will only be implemented after it is gazetted and we are happy with that…The minister has the full support of the party but there must be realisation that the party was supreme.
