'I Was Not Consulted First,' ED Makes U-Turn On Removed Of Mealie Meal Subsidies

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said today that he was not consulted first before the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube decided to remove the subsidy on maize and wheat.

Speaking at a Zanu PF Youth Interface rally in Kadoma, the president said:

We must create safety nets to help the poor amoung us. The day before yesterday, I heard that the subsidy on grains was removed. I reject that. I want to say it here that I reject it move because mealie meal is a basic commodity for the masses. We cannot remove the subsidy. So I am putting that subsidy back, so that the price comes down. So they will publish it tomorrow and they’ll have to admit that they had not consulted me first.

https://twitter.com/InfoMinZW/status/1199736742091341826

The president has been accused of pretending he didn’t know about the move before it was announced. Some notable Zimbabweans have likened the president’s to what they said are insincere methods used by late President Robert Mugabe’s government to reverse unpopular policy pronouncements.

Said filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono:

https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1199759782476992512

Said prominent journalist, Happiness Zengeni:

Lol…

Makuteedzera vaye vaye ka.

Pronounce- reverse, pronounce- reverse https://t.co/qSK5VWtV5O

— Happi Zengeni-Manyere (@happ_zenge) November 27, 2019