Zimbabweans will feel cheated

The parties to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) have now failed to consummate it. There is now virtually no possibility that the GPA will ever be fully implemented. While the politicians are bickering and fighting over who is to blame for this failure to fully implement the GPA the people have continued to suffer under the burden of poverty.

Most Zimbabweans have no electricity, no water and other everyday needs. They are struggling to survive on little or no income because industries and other commercial organisations have not yet started recruiting workers. Against this background there is an even bigger tragedy happening across the country. Life is becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary people in Zimbabwe. The ushering in of the US dollar/ South African Rand monetary system was meant to slow down inflation as well as to bring back goods on the supermarket shelves. It was also meant to reduce the rate at which goods increase prices. The use of US dollars and SA Rands has cut down inflation and has made goods available in shops. What the policy has failed to do is to ensure that the prices charged by utility companies (water, electricity and phone) and other service providers are reasonable in terms of the foreign currencies that are being used in the country. What is clear is that, based on their buying power, the US dollar and the Rand are less valuable in Zimbabwe than in their native countries. This means that the prices people are paying are still as astronomical as they were when we were paying in Zimbabwe dollars.

This is clearly illustrated by the medical costs where you are forced to take your relative to private hospital because the state hospitals cannot treat them or because there are no specialists at state hospitals to treat them. I am not talking about people choosing to go private hospitals because they can afford it but people who have no choice because if they do not take the loved ones to a private hospital/ clinic then chances are that their loved ones will die. I strongly believe that the role of government is to ensure that there is fairness especially for the vulnerable. Medical bills have become too expensive for most people in Zimbabwe resulting in people who shouldn’t die dying. Medical bills for hospitalisation at private institutions range from 300USD to 500USD for three days excluding food which is paid for separately. So if you stay in hospital for nine days you will have to pay 1500USD for the stay then pay for the food and medication separately. The food and medication could set you back another 2000 – 3000USD. The cost of a pint of blood at private clinics is 600USD while it costs 50USD in state hospitals. I have evidence for these figures because I have paid or have been charged these amounts in the last few weeks. If people who give their blood freely realised that they could fail to get blood when they need it if they do not have fifty dollars or more they would think twice before donating blood. Most people give blood because they believe that it could save lives without realising that it will only save the lives of those with money. I propose that if the government does not urgently take action then those who give blood should consider selling their blood to the Blood Transfusion Service to ensure that they have the money to pay for blood when eventually they need transfusions.

It will be a sad day when the Blood Transfusion Service will have to pay more than a soft drink and a biscuit for a pint of blood. However, government inaction leaves people no option but to act selfishly. People elect governments to ensure that all people (rich and poor) can go to hospital and receive treatment that is good and affordable. I call on government to seriously look into the amounts being charged by utility companies and private hospitals in order to ensure that they are commensurate with the salaries that are being paid to people. It is immoral that these companies and organisations are allowed to act with impunity. Both MDC and ZANU PF claim to stand for ordinary people but evidence on the ground does not seem to suggest this. We need intervention from government on behalf of the poor to ensure that all people get the benefits of introducing US dollars and SA Rands into the Zimbabwean economy. Until this happens the people will feel cheated by this Government of National Unity. I do not blame the businesses and private hospitals for taking advantage of the new dispensation because the people we pay to protect us from this are doing nothing. The government is failing the ordinary people.