Gidion Gono, the current Reserve Bank boss is set to resign Thursday morning after year of ruining Zimbabwe’s economy with his unorthodox economic policies.
MDC secretary general Tendai Biti who highly tipped to take over as Minister of Finance in the new all inclusive government early this year blamed Gono for Zimbabwe’s economic woes. “Gono is the number one enemy of this country, not inflation,” Biti, MDC-Harare East MP said. “He has been stoking the fires of inflation through quasi-fiscal activities”
Biti describes Gono as similar to an “Al-Qaeda” terrorist who should be put before a firing squad.” His second term as RBZ boss expires in two months time. He is also Robert Mugabe’s personal banker.
Banker and MDC senior official Elton Mangoma who could be appointed Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion is a vocal critic of the central bank chief and called Gono’s recent monetary policy statement, inconsequential “tinkering” with the symptoms of the problem.”
Sources at the Reserve Bank say Gono, was “angry and looked shaken” last Thursday evening when the power sharing deal was agreed upon. “He was beside himself, far from his usual jovial mood. He said he is leaving soon” said the source.
The MDC has always said they would fire Gono once they are in Government. “ He seems not to want to be fired but leave on his own, but people would know that he is running away from the chop”
This would be a positive start to many suffering Zimbabweans. “Gono is a dyed-in-the-wool Mugabe sympathiser and also referred to as Mugabe’s lap dog. I do not withdraw my statements about Gono either. If the cap fits – wear it…” added the official.
Gono has always said he was acting according to orders from his superiors and is prepared to leave anytime if needs be.
Removal of Gono a key indice
Sources within MDC say Western governments and donors have indicated that the removal of Gono, will be “one of the key indices” that they will use to judge whether the newly constituted government is genuinely reformed and a fit recipient for aid.
Gono yesterday dismissed this as “speculation”. “There is always a lot media speculation about my position and our programmes. I think what you are hearing is just speculation … People will always speculate and in such public positions as we are in we don’t have to raise our hackles about that.”
Since taking over as governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in 2003, Gono has implemented a host of highly-criticized policies. The main criticism comes from the apparent failure of his policies to reverse the economic decline of Zimbabwe.
Since he became governor, there have been a number of problems which include cash shortages,- fuel and food scarcity, shortages in agriculture, Bankers and businessmen have been arrested by the police and army under Gono’s orders.
Under him Zimbabwe has recorded the highest inflation in the world and unemployment and the collapse of the health, education and agriculture sectors.
A number of banks have been raided and their operating licences cancelled and is accused of bankrolling Mugabe’s highly discredited one candidate Run-off election.”
