(Last Updated on August 15, 2013 by Editor)
“I wonder why the Prime Minister (Mutambara) listens to the people from the World Bank and the bosses in Washington who say we are struggling. We are not.”
Harare, – Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara and the Minister of Housing and National Development, Ignatious Chombo, clashed on government’s performance to-date with Minister Chombo claiming that the Government of National Unity (GNU) was not “confused and struggling to survive” as being claimed by countries from the West.
“We are not struggling and we are surviving,” an angry Chombo told several government officials and the media gathered in Harare for the launch of the National Action Plan (NAP) on water.
“I wonder why the Prime Minister (Mutambara) listens to the people from the World Bank and the bosses in Washington who say we are struggling. We are not.”
Mutambara had said he had come from the World Economic Forum (WEF) meetings in China and at that meeting Zimbabwe featured very badly on the world scales for various issues including governance.
“They say our government is not stable,” DPM Mutambara had said. “One of the reasons why we are not featuring very well in most competitive reports from the WEF is that they say we are not stable and do not have any money for projects.”
Chombo said while he agreed Zimbabwe does not have foreign currency it was stable judging from the Government of National Unity (GNU) of which Mutambara is a part.
“You are part of the same government which is being criticised,” Chombo said. “We are not struggling and are not unstable as the West and the WEF claim.”
The meeting was attended by several ministers including Sipepa Nkomo (Water) and Francis Nhema (Environment) when the “exchange of words” occurred.