Zimbabwe: Govt Commends Malawi for Supplying Maize

GOVERNMENT has hailed Malawi for selling maize to Zimbabwe under the two nations' export agreement to abate the acute grain shortage in the country owing to successive droughts.

The country has been importing grain from friendly Sadc countries in the past few months as part of drought mitigatory efforts.

The Minister of Information and Publicity, Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, praised the Malawian government for availing maize to Zimbabwe in response to the Government's call for assistance.

Cde Ndlovu expressed his gratitude during a briefing with Malawian journalists at his offices in Harare last Friday. The journalists, who arrived in the country last week, are on a fact-finding mission.

"I want to express our Government's gratitude and appreciation for your country's response to provide us with maize at a very concessionary rate," said Cde Ndlovu.

He said problems currently facing Zimbabwe were a result of persistent droughts and illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the British, Americans and their Western allies in an attempt to effect an illegal regime change.

"May that gesture continue. Mawa musa tope, lakusasa lingadinwa (Even when we ask for help in the future, don't desist from your generosity)," said Cde Ndlovu.

Government has declared 2007 a drought year, meaning that drought-prone areas should receive food relief from the State.

James Chipofya of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation asked the minister how the Government price monitoring and income stabilisation programme would stimulate the growth of the economy.

Cde Ndlovu said the move was a milestone to stop the "madness" by businesses that were arbitrarily increasing prices beyond the reach of consumers. He said the corporate world, which was supposed to play a critical role of supporting the country's development, created the parallel market to mop up the foreign currency supposed to go the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

"They created artificial shortages. As a Government, we were watching this," he said.

"We took a decision to control prices. Government put in place shock therapy in the economy to have it recover quickly."

Cde Ndlovu said Government had also put in place a facility through the Zimbabwe Investment Trust to help companies that may face viability problems to supply retailers with basic commodities.