Opposition accuses Zanu PF of looting
The Standard
Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:13
OPPOSITION parties have launched a scathing attack on the indigenisation regulations describing them as racist and another tactic by Zanu PF officials in a hurry to loot national resources before the party is pushed out of power.
Government has twice shelved the implementation of the regulations that seek to operationalise the controversial Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act pushed through parliament by Zanu PF in 2007 following spirited resistance by business.
The regulations that will see foreign-owned firms ceding 51% of their shareholding to locals would be implemented once consultations between government and stakeholders are finalised.
Former Finance minister and leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn party, Simba Makoni said the regulations violated the constitution.
“One of the values of our party is genuine empowerment which means enabling people to do things for themselves not placing people in a position to ask for things to be done for them,” Makoni told journalists at the Chinhoyi press club last week.
“The current debate on the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act touches on two issues, the first is the Act itself which legalises racial discrimination.
“If you read and understand, the definition of indigenous is equal to black and yet the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides for a non-racial and democratic nation and I would say that the legislators who approved a patently racist and discriminatory law were violating the Zimbabwe Constitution.”
Zapu said it fully supports the government’s policy of indigenisation but was strongly opposed to the manner in which Zanu PF elements in the inclusive government were going about the exercise.
President Robert Mugabe and Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere have insisted that there is nothing wrong with the regulations.
“It would appear Zanu PF functionaries in the inclusive government are in a spree to allocate the people’s natural resources to their connections under the guise of indigenisation,” said Zapu spokesman, Methuseli Moyo in a statement.
“Realising that the sun is setting on their party, Zanu PF ministers are clearly on a mission to plunder and mortgage people’s resources to foreign companies fronted by their relatives, friends and party supporters.”
Zapu said it was particularly concerned by the “spree” to allocate mining rights and concessions to dubious companies under the guise of indigenisation.
Moyo said: “For instance, how many people from Marange or Manicaland are legally benefiting in any meaningful way in the exploitation of diamonds in Chiadzwa?
“How many locals are going to benefit in the exploitation of coal concessions in the Lubimbi area of Matabeleland North? Who is exploiting the wildlife and timber resources of Lupane, Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Hwange?
It warned the MDC formations in the inclusive government to disassociate themselves from the Zanu PF agenda if they were to maintain their integrity.
BY OUR STAFF