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Exposed: Mnangagwa Regime Hides Behind Middle East War While Punishing Citizens With Heavy Taxes<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Tinashe Sambiri\u2013 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.<\/p>\n
Economic observers say the tax burden on ordinary Zimbabweans has reached unsustainable levels, with fuel costs highlighting the extent of the pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government is increasingly relying on taxation to cover its fiscal gaps, and this is coming directly from already struggling citizens,\u201d said one economist.<\/p>\n
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has come under scrutiny for policies that critics say are squeezing households and businesses.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Middle East situation is being used as a convenient explanation, but the real issue is the structure of local taxes,\u201d another economist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cZimbabweans are paying far more in taxes than what can be justified by external shocks.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cFuel is a key input in almost every sector, so high taxes on fuel effectively translate into higher prices for everything else,\u201d one analyst explained.<\/p>\n
There are also concerns that continued reliance on taxation without corresponding economic growth could deepen hardship.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen disposable incomes are already low, increasing taxes only suppresses demand and weakens the economy further,\u201d another economist noted.<\/p>\n
Critics say the government must urgently review its tax policies to ease pressure on citizens instead of attributing economic challenges primarily to international events.<\/p>\n
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