Gideon Gono
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Gideon Gono is the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and former CEO of the Jewel Bank (formerly known as the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe).
He started his career with ZimBank, another Government Bank and eventually moved to the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe. He was appointed by Professor Jonathan Moyo to head the University of Zimbabwe Council and awarded himself with an honorary degree.
Gono has also implemented a host of highly-criticised moves. He scrapped old bank notes in August 2006 which resulted in another round of massive price increases, and most recently he closed 16 money transfer agencies.
Backed by vice president Joyce Mujuru, Gono has several times called for an end to farm takeovers in a bid to stabilise agricultural production and halt inflation.
In an interview with the state-controlled Herald newspaper, he said "I have openly condemned such retrogressive acts as destruction of horticultural greenhouses, decimation of tobacco barns, institution of fresh farm invasions". [1]
Gono's criticism of farm takeovers is in sharp contrast to statements made by other ministers, including Lands Minister Didymus Mutasa.
"There are too many subdivisions among us, too many contradictions, too much infighting among ourselves, incredible suspicion and mistrust of one another," Gono said.
Gono said there were several factors that were outside the central bank's control, which made it difficult to rein in inflation.
"Some of those factors are within the governor's control and influence while others such as politics, sanctions, droughts, under-utilisation of farms, disruptions at those farms, rampant corruption, indiscipline, law and order are factors outside the governor's control," he said in an interview with the official Herald newspaper. [2]
