Embassy
Hundreds turn out
to listen to Governor in London
The largest event during the Reserve Bank
of Zimbabwe outreach to Zimbabweans in Britain
was at the Zimbabwe Embassy in London, where
Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono addressed
a capacity audience estimated at about 350
people.
Welcoming Dr Gono to the embassy at the
reception on June 12, Zimbabwe ambassador
to the United Kingdom Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
described his visit as historic. It was
the first time a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Governor had come to consult his compatriots
in Britain, he said.
To applause from guests, the ambassador
said Dr Gono had within a few months generated
hope that Zimbabweans could overcome their
problems themselves.
The Governor, whose speech was punctuated
by applause from the start, began by emphasising
that economic turnaround taking place in
Zimbabwe was the result of a joint effort
by Zimbabweans not the efforts of one man.
After pointing out that only 194 days of
his five-year term had passed, he said the
agenda was urgent. Failure was not an option,
he said, to enthusiastic applause.
He emphasised the importance of using an
open and legal money transfer system to
send money home, particularly in the light
of international obligations to prevent
money laundering, especially following the
September 11 attacks in the United States
in 2001. “Opaque activities are a
fertile ground for money laundering,”
he said.
Dr Gono said the Reserve Bank pledged to
remain alert to the need of Zimbabweans
in the Diaspora for a good exchange rate
and to ensure that there would be no further
shortages of cash, as experienced in 2003.
He stressed the importance of fighting
inflation in Zimbabwe and referred to the
Reserve Bank’s establishment of an
advisory board incorporating representatives
of various sectors. He required the input
of all Zimbabweans, he said. He made reference
to the impact of Aids and the need to normalise
relations with international organisations.
Dr Gono cited international statistics
on the transfer home of funds by nationals
of various countries earned abroad. Many
were surprised to see the top 20 countries
in terms of the value of money sent home
by its nationals were headed by the United
States. The next top 19 were all, apart
from Japan, in Europe or the Middle East.
The governor said Zimbabweans had to learn
to live together, irrespective of any political,
religious or other differences. “There
is more that binds us together than separates
us,” he said.
He said the Reserve Bank pledged to improve
the economy and to honour all its debts
in the fullness of time.
He appealed to his listeners to send him
their suggestions and ideas for improving
the economy. He said the Reserve Bank valued
their wisdom and experience.
He ended his address by inviting them when
they were next in Zimbabwe to contact him
and have a cup of tea with him.
After the Governor had responded to a number
of questions, people were invited to take
leaflets, brochures and other literature
on the Homelink-Kumusha-Ekhaya money transfer
system and approach members of the Reserve
Bank team in the course of the evening with
any questions they had about Homelink or
any other related matter.
In Birmingham the following day hundreds
of people turned out to hear the Governor.
Dr Gono engaged a handful of people who
held up protest placards, inviting them
to put their questions to him, which he
responded to, apparently to their satisfaction.
The day after that Dr Gono addressed a
meeting at Oxford University on Zimbabwe’s
economic turnaround.
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