By Shylet Maposa
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) has called upon workers, residents and citizens to join peaceful demonstrations against the fiscal and monetary policy proclamations in particular the 2% tax, on Thursday the 11th of October 2018.
President of ZCTU Peter Mutasa, in a press statement at Media Centre this morning said, “We are calling on all Zimbabweans to join the ZCTU demonstrations across the country on Thursday 11 October 2018 against the ill-advised measures that have a devastating effect on the lives of Zimbabweans”
Mutasa referred to the fiscal and monetary policy as a repetition of the 1991 ESAP. “It should be lost to Zimbabweans that we have been in this situation before, as government railroaded the populace into ESAP in 1991 so we need to recall the lessons leant so that we are the wiser going forward” he said.
ZCTU noted with concern that the collection of the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax from all electronic financial transactions is regressive in that it creates an elite class made up of international organisations, diaspora remittances, free funds and export retention proceeds who are foreign currency earners (Nastro FCA balances) while the rest of the public is relegated to the use of RTGS FCA balances.
“Taxing the formerly financially excluded poor people, especially in rural and urban communities is highly retrogressive” Mutasa bemoaned.
Therefore ZCTU urged citizens to come out and demand reversal of the 2 cents per every dollar tax that has caused high price hikes.
Demonstrations will start at 0800 to 1400hrs in all regional capitals that is Harare, Chinhoyi, Gweru, Masvingo, Bulawayo and Mutare.
