Peter Tanyanyiwa
Ward 7 Avondale councillor Happymore Gotora recently submitted a petition to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on behalf of residents.
The petition presses upon Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to consider re-introducing the US dollar as the official currency.
The residents say use of the US dollar will help improve standard of living, as the local currency – the Zimbabwe dollar, which was re-introduced last June – has depreciated significantly.
Currently, most companies and service providers are charging in US dollars. Use of the currency to trade locally was made legal in April to help limit the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on citizens.
But employers are not paying workers in US dollars.
In an interview after lodging the petition councillor Gotora said the residents are citizens at large are simply asking for the decent thing, everything in now being charged in US dollars and residents are saying the Minister should allow them to be given that as salaries.
“The residents wrote a petition to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the issue is about the high rising inflation, petitioning the Minister to consider bringing back the US dollar officially in the market as you are aware that most shops are now charging in US dollar and some even selecting which bond notes to accept,” he said.
“All this is happening in an environment where many are earning local currency, yet the whole market is now demanding US dollar or equivalent, so to balance the situation the residents are suggesting the Minister re-introduce the US dollar officially to accommodate everyone.”
The petition to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube reads:
“Dear Minister since September last year most people, except for small elite, have been struggling with rents, rates, school fees, electricity, transport, basic food and other daily necessities.
“We are paid in ZWL but all expenses are in US dollar or the market equivalent, a disparity of 50 to 1 and growing. Lack of confidence in the ZWL has brought back hyperinflation after a short 12 years, impoverishing citizens, companies, local authorities and utilities like ZESA.
“Profiteering is on the increase. We are again heading for spiraling collapse. Therefore we, the undersigned residents and citizens of Zimbabwe, petition you to move all transactions to a trusted unit of exchange and put an end to the highly inflationary ZWL, using the instruments at your disposal.
The petition is undersigned by Carole Pearce, an Avondale resident.
The petition has so far garnered almost 1000 signatures from Zimbabweans in the country and in the Diaspora.