Doc Mtusi must be one of the few people who understands Zimbabwe's economic policy. He knows what's going on even better than his boss, Finance Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi, who announced in Masvingo that there was no need for people to hoard food. "But if people don't hoard food, what will they eat when all the shops run empty?" I asked him, after he agreed to be interviewed this week. "Who says they'll run empty?" retorted Doc, who made me promise I would report him faithfully. "Shelves are already empty of basic foodstuffs," I pointed out. "Then we'll just order shopkeepers to fill them again," said Doc. "We've already jailed quite a few who refused to. It's simple economics. We will also jail anyone who hoards food, because that is what empties the shelves."
"Sorry to cross swords with you on this, Doc, but your government is forcing shopkeepers to sell all their existing stocks for less than they paid for them. How can you expect them to buy in more supplies at the wholesale price if they know that by selling them at the government's retail rate they'll make an even bigger loss. It's a quick way to go bankrupt." "No one ever said saving Zimbabwe's economy would be easy," explained Doc. "We all have to make sacrifices." "My point is you can't blame shoppers for thinking that, unless they quickly buy up what's left, there'll soon be no food to buy," I said. "They are not stupid. They can see that all the shopkeepers will either be bankrupt or in jail."
"And my point is that the unpatriotic hoarding of food gives the impression that we have a problem, which clearly we haven't, except in the South African media's mind," said Doc. "I'm surprised Mbeki still lets you write this nonsense. We are relying on Comrade Zuma to make you change your tune, once he takes over." "But until then, Doc, why have you now even passed a law to stop Zimbabweans importing food from South Africa? If they can't hoard food, they have to get it from somewhere. Otherwise they'll starve." "We don't call it starving," said Doc, "we call it fasting. Fasting is actually good for you. Lots of famous people have fasted for the benefit of their people. Gandhi, for instance. In our case, the people themselves will be encouraged to fast, thereby strengthening themselves against the onslaught of colonial imperialism."
"I'm sure they really would prefer to eat," I said. "Most people do." "We have no objection in principle to people eating," conceded Doc. "Those of us in government all eat, but only because persons in our important positions have to. What we must guard against, though, is the belief that ordinary people have the right to break the law if they are hungry." "That's how the French Revolution started," I said. "Thank goodness we won our revolution 27 glorious years ago," declared Doc. "So there's no need to worry."
Heads will roll. 
