Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Monday hit out at corruption in the country after reports said security had been boosted around the central bank governor because of his unpopular anti-corruption drive.
In a speech to mark Heroes’ Day, Mugabe told thousands of supporters in Harare that wrongful self-enrichment will not be allowed to go unpunished.
”These economic saboteurs and enemies of our economic-turnaround strategies should take heed that we are determined to fight the scourge of corruption and do honour to the integrity and dignity of our nation,” he said.
Mugabe’s threats come as private media reported that security had been tightened around Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono following his controversial monetary reforms.
On July 31, Gono unveiled new banknotes and said everyone had three weeks to bank limited amounts of old cash in a bid to clamp down on money speculators and black-market traders.
But his reforms are reported to be hitting the pockets of some high-ranking officials, and some want him dead, The Standard reported on Sunday.
Gono is now the second-most protected man after Mugabe, the paper quoted an unnamed source as saying.
Monday’s event at a national shrine for dead former nationalists and independence-war fighters saw supporters holding up placards that read: ”Where did you get those trillions?” and ”No to money laundering.”
Zimbabwe’s rate of inflation is close to 1 000% and there is a booming black market in scarce fuel and foreign currency as well as other basic commodities. — Sapa-dpa