Gideon Gono farewell statement - Full text

1. It is exactly ten years or 120 months since I joined the RBZ family on a tour of duty as Governor and while it seems like yesterday, in reality it isn't. Children who were born at the time I joined the Bank are now at mid-primary level in their schooling! That is how long my stay has been at the Bank and in terms of the law, it is time for me to pack my bags and move on other assignments.

2. There is not much to say about my tenure here at the Bank which you all do not know. The story is better told, and evaluation best made by each and everyone of you.

3. No doubt, we succeeded in some areas of our assignments more than we did in others but that is not for me to say. All I can say for now is that I depart a very happy person in terms of discharging the mandate given to me by His Excellency the President, Cde R.G. Mugabe in November, 2003 and that of defending the country's sovereignty and economic interests at Zimbabwe's time of greatest need and when the economic attacks against the country were at their gravest.

4. Some countries that have faced a quarter of the challenges and dangers we faced are on their knees with riots galore and unending changes in their government administrations and untold suffering worse than we experienced or are experiencing.

5. I want to thank you all, individually and collectively, for all your love, loyalty, support and cooperation in the formulation of strategy and execution thereof over the years in discharging the above mandate even though some choose to forget what we all went through to remain standing.

6. You all made my leadership role and task much easier than it would have been had you chosen to do otherwise. You all enriched my experiences and deepened my resolve and conviction in many spheres of my life.

7. Like any mortal being, I was not perfect. I was not and am not a Saint. I urge all of you to pick up the batons of excellence, determination, hard work and fortitude where I am leaving and to run with them for the betterment of our economy in particular and country in general until we meet again one day.

8. It is also fortuitous that I am ending my ten year tour of duty on my 54th Birthday and just as "I was taken home immediately after birth," I am going home to my family and friends" today after completing a successful tour of duty or could it be that I am joining the "jobless market?" Only time will tell.

9. In Catholic terms, my going represents "black smoke coming out from the 22nd and 23rd floors of the RBZ" as when a Pope passes on or retires. When a new, substantive one is elected or appointed, the same chimneys emit "white smoke" in celebration.

10. Unfortunately no white smoke yet! That is for His Excellency the President, on the advice of the Minister, to ignite. The Law at this stage allows the Governor to only appoint an Acting Governor among the two Deputy Governors on a rotational basis. To this end, with effect from 1 December 2013 to 28 February, 2014, Dr Charity Dhliwayo will be Acting Governor and from 1 March, 2014 to 31 May, 2014, Dr K. Mlambo will Act if a decision has not been made for a substantive Governor by then.

11. I request you all to give the two your maximum support.

12. May God Bless you all and again, thank you all, you remain my "stars" forever! I want to leave you with a useful Biblical reading that should always guide and strengthen you when you face difficulties as you remain behind : Romans 8 vs 28-34.

Yours sincerely

G. GONO

GOVERNOR