HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday accused unnamed opponents of “waging a war against our economic prosperity”, warning: “The end is coming!”

The Zanu PF leader, refusing to take responsibility for an economic collapse that threatens the stability of his government, blamed unnamed “enemies of progress and economic growth of our country.”

In recent weeks, he has railed against private businesses for allegedly hastening the rapid loss of value of the local currency through speculative behaviour and currency trading on the parallel market.

“On evident economic malpractices that are present in various forms, my government will never shy away from implementing policies and measures that ensure that honest workers of our country live honourably,” Mnangagwa said.

“We shall not allow a situation, where our people live in chronic insecurity and deprivation. It has become apparent that in our midst, there are wolves in sheep clothing. The end is coming.”

Mnangagwa was speaking at the National Heroes Acre in Harare at the burial of independence war hero Stanley Nleya.

Zimbabwe’s inflation rose to 785.55 percent year-on-year in May, wreaking havoc on the Zimbabwe dollar and shrivelling salaries.

Mnangagwa’s government announced a 50 percent pay increase for public sector workers last week, but within days, fuel went up by 152 percent and the currency shed 79 percent of its value when the government abandoned a discredited 1:25 exchange rate peg to the United States dollar, opting instead for a weekly currency auction system. The first auction on Tuesday set the official rate at 1:57, but the local currency is still weaker on the parallel market where a single American dollar can buy up to Z$100.