A Christmas from hell beckons for Zimbabweans

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Harare residents say this year’s Christmas Day celebrations will rank among the worst in history because of the worsening economic crisis that has seen thousands of people losing their jobs this year.

Harare residents say this year’s Christmas Day celebrations will rank among the worst in history because of the worsening economic crisis that has seen thousands of people losing their jobs this year.

Obey Manayiti/Everson Mushava

The residents, in separate interviews yesterday said prospects of an economic turnaround were fading.

“Things are getting harder and we have many companies which are failing to pay workers for many months. So people will go home empty-handed this festive season,” said Judith Kaulem from the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust.

“It’s dampening and the festive season is going to be a stressful one because people have no disposable income.

“People are already thinking about school fees, rentals and other essential things.”

Zimbabwe’s economy’ has been on freefall since the turn of the century.

Statistics show that the country has over 90% unemployment with industries operating at below 10% capacity.

Government has been struggling to raise salaries for its workers and new tax laws have burdened the population as government struggles to raise money to support its activities.

Most companies are facing viability challenges, with others having closed shop within the last two years.

Workers have not been spared in the economic meltdown. An estimated 30 000 reportedly lost their jobs following a July ruling by the Supreme Court that companies could fire their employees on three months’ notice without any further obligation.

Kaulem said instead of celebrating, people were more worried about getting basics like food, rentals and raising school fees for their children.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary-general Japhet Moyo said the majority of Zimbabweans were struggling to make ends meet and celebrating Christmas was a luxury.

“We don’t believe that the generality of Zimbabweans mostly in the working class, are going to have a normal festive season,” he said.

“A normal festive season refers to where mothers and fathers are able to take their families for shopping, take their families on journeys, where they will afford to wine and dine and celebrate.

“Over the years we have seen a different mood and this year is no exception.

“It is going to be worse because of the High Court ruling of July 17, where thousands of workers were laid off.”

Moyo added: “We now have more and more people struggling to make ends meet.

“I don’t think most Zimbabweans are looking forward to this year’s Christmas. The year 2015 has been a very bad year and many people don’t have disposable income.”

Moyo said the situation was also affecting the business community as people did not have money to spend on shopping.

Shop owners, mostly clothing and retail shops said business was very depressed compared to previous years.

“There is nothing yet to suggest we are approaching a festive season. Sales are still low and we doubt if they will pick up. In the past years, we had difficulties but this year is promising to be worse,” said Douglas Kuedza, a shop assistant at a clothing outlet in Harare. Families often buy new clothes for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Most people who lost their jobs in the past years have resorted to vending, but they say things are tough.

Ranging from playing cat and mouse games with the municipal police, street vendors are facing an uphill task to make ends meet, and this year’s Christmas celebrations threaten to be cold.

Vendors Initiative for Social Economic Transformation director Samuel Wadzai said vendors were one of the worst affected people in the country and there was nothing really big to expect during this festive season.

“Throughout the year, vendors have continued to be victims of disorder and poor priorities by the government,” he said.

“Vendors continue to be arrested; confiscation of their goods is the order of the day and corruption threatens to push the majority of our members out of business.”

Isaac Nhamo, a 55-year-old resident of Harare, said he missed the good old days when they used to attach so much value on the Christmas holiday.

“Ideally, Christmas time is the period when people have to retreat, meet old friends and family members in other parts of the country,” he said.

“Back then, we used to attach so much importance on the holidays as people would have spent the whole year working.

“However, this cannot happen anymore in Zimbabwe because of the failing economy.”

Kuzivakwashe Mlambo (45), who lost his job in August and has turned to vending, said he will have a torrid time watching his three children spend Christmas without enough food or new clothes as they used to do in the past.