News / National
Experts question Afro Barometer 'findings' in Zimbabwe
06 Oct 2013 at 17:09hrs | Views
The Afro-Barometer study released on Tuesday suggests that there's been a rapid fall in poverty in Zimbabwe since 2008.
Neither those living in exclusive gated communities nor corporate companies have been spared from the Zimbabwe's crippling water cuts.
The coalition government's introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009 brought a resemblance of normality.
Supermarket shelves are stocked with food and goods and services are more affordable.
In fact, the latest Afro-Barometer research suggests that compared to 33 other African countries, Zimbabwe has recorded the most dramatic drop in poverty.
Some local poverty experts query the Afro Barometers findings.
In fact their research shows that people especially in the rural areas could be worse off in respect to access to cash compared to the Zimbabwe dollar era.
Executive Director for the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust, Judith Kaulem, "We have realised a depletion of assets as people engage in barter trading. When they want to go to the grinding mill and they don't have money they end up taking chickens with them."
Kaulem says it's not much better in the urban areas, where salaries have remained static since 2009 against the rising cost of living.
She says the previous middle class including teachers and nurses now earn significantly below the poverty line.
"What you see when you move around are people trying to make ends meet. On weekends, you find people having to go to Musina to buy or sell something and go back to work on Monday. This is not a normal situation."
The collapse of the economy and the poor social services delivery has brought immense wealth to the innovative.
However, Zimbabwe's new government is hoping that in the next five years it will be able to address the challenges and close the gap between the rich and those that still wallow in poverty.
Neither those living in exclusive gated communities nor corporate companies have been spared from the Zimbabwe's crippling water cuts.
The coalition government's introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009 brought a resemblance of normality.
Supermarket shelves are stocked with food and goods and services are more affordable.
In fact, the latest Afro-Barometer research suggests that compared to 33 other African countries, Zimbabwe has recorded the most dramatic drop in poverty.
Some local poverty experts query the Afro Barometers findings.
In fact their research shows that people especially in the rural areas could be worse off in respect to access to cash compared to the Zimbabwe dollar era.
Executive Director for the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust, Judith Kaulem, "We have realised a depletion of assets as people engage in barter trading. When they want to go to the grinding mill and they don't have money they end up taking chickens with them."
Kaulem says it's not much better in the urban areas, where salaries have remained static since 2009 against the rising cost of living.
She says the previous middle class including teachers and nurses now earn significantly below the poverty line.
"What you see when you move around are people trying to make ends meet. On weekends, you find people having to go to Musina to buy or sell something and go back to work on Monday. This is not a normal situation."
The collapse of the economy and the poor social services delivery has brought immense wealth to the innovative.
However, Zimbabwe's new government is hoping that in the next five years it will be able to address the challenges and close the gap between the rich and those that still wallow in poverty.
Source - sabc
