Mnangagwa Regime Hides Behind Middle East War While Punishing Citizens With Heavy Taxes – Eduzim News

Tinashe Sambiri– The government led by Emmerson Mnangagwa is facing growing criticism for imposing heavy taxes on citizens while using the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as a shield, it has emerged.

Economic observers say the tax burden on ordinary Zimbabweans has reached unsustainable levels, with fuel costs highlighting the extent of the pressure.

“The government is increasingly relying on taxation to cover its fiscal gaps, and this is coming directly from already struggling citizens,” said one economist.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has come under scrutiny for policies that critics say are squeezing households and businesses.

Analysts argue that while global factors such as instability in the Middle East may influence prices, domestic taxation is playing a far greater role in driving up costs.

“The Middle East situation is being used as a convenient explanation, but the real issue is the structure of local taxes,” another economist said.

“Zimbabweans are paying far more in taxes than what can be justified by external shocks.”

Current figures show that out of the US$2.05 paid for a litre of diesel, approximately 42 cents goes directly to government taxes. For petrol (Blend E5), about 86 cents of the US$2.17 per litre is made up of taxes.

Economists warn that the heavy tax component embedded in fuel prices is cascading across the economy, driving up transport costs, food prices and the overall cost of living.

“Fuel is a key input in almost every sector, so high taxes on fuel effectively translate into higher prices for everything else,” one analyst explained.

There are also concerns that continued reliance on taxation without corresponding economic growth could deepen hardship.

“When disposable incomes are already low, increasing taxes only suppresses demand and weakens the economy further,” another economist noted.

Critics say the government must urgently review its tax policies to ease pressure on citizens instead of attributing economic challenges primarily to international events.

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