Harare (New Ziana) – MDC-Alliance vice president Tendai Biti, has courted the ire of social media after he accused the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of being dishonest and naïve in their assessment of Zimbabwe’s economic situation.
In typical Biti and MDC-Alliance fashion to discount and disparage anything positive about Zimbabwe in their quest to attain power, Biti railed against the IMFs recent economic growth projections for Zimbabwe.
In June, the IMF doubled its economic growth forecast for Zimbabwe citing a bumper harvest, improved power supply and an increase in manufacturing and construction.
The IMF reported that it expects Zimbabwe’s economy to grow by 6 percent this year, after initially projecting a 3.1 percent growth earlier in the year.
“An economic recovery is underway in 2021,” the IMF was quoted by Bloomberg saying.
“Further efforts are needed to solidify the stabilisation trends and accelerate reforms.”
But an angry Biti, in typical local opposition fashion, opposed the IMFs projections, albeit without providing counter evidence.
“They did not produce a report, they produced a press statement on the 16th of June 2021. That Press statement was naïve and dishonest,” he said in a video widely circulated on social media.
“They conducted zoom interviews with officials carefully assembled by the local office which has been aiding and abetting this dishonesty and then suddenly they are experts on Zimbabwe and they can write a report on Zimbabwe.
“It appears that the IMF, particularly under the new managing director Kristalina Georgieva is naive, Chistine Largade (former IMF chief) was smart and street wise because she had more experience in Africa. The new regime at the IMF is naïve.”
Ironically, it is the same western financial institutions that have been the darling of the opposition MDC since its formation as they have helped sustain the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe through unjust denial of balance of payment support and sanctions.
With that in mind, several twitter users rallied quickly to put Biti in his place.
Zanu PF information and publicity director, Tafadzwa Mugwadi was quick to remind Biti of his relationship with the IMF.
“What a travesty of humanity for a man who cannot fathom anything that is positive about Zimbabwe. The IMF which he pleaded with to deny our people COVID-19 relief funds has become an enemy simply because it has spoken well on Zim?” he queried in reference to Biti’s rabid lobby for the IMF to deny Zimbabwe a bailout which most countries have received to cushion them from the current pandemic.
Another user with the handle Zibusiso Jacob queried why Biti thought he knew better than the IMF.
“So the Zimbabwean economy must not do well because Chamisa is not in power? The IMF is headed by level headed people who report objectively. If there is (sic) positives surely they have to be reported,” he said.
Masiemsoko, another user, told Biti outright that his statement was embarrassing.
“Biti-this is embarrassing. You are not always right.”
Others were quick to point out that Biti’s rant was a sign of a man losing his marbles.
“This guy is getting insane,” tweeted a user by the name Rukudzo.
“Accusing the IMF of siding with the Zanu PF government is crazy, get this man a good doctor before it is too late,” said TenesiJack.
“The level of self hate is extreme, sometimes we just need to admit that there are positive developments by the Mnangagwa government not to oppose for the sake of opposing,” ProfTaranja tweeted.
New Ziana
