Zimbabwe Minister Appoints Mugabe Allies to Spearhead Indigenization Program
Former Defense Force officials are prominent among appointees including
retired Major-General Gilbert Mashingaidze, retired Air Commodore Mike
Karakadzai and retired Colonel Karikoga Kaseke, who is also the chief
executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
Gibbs Dube | Washington 20 August 2010
Indigenization Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has appointed committees
dominated by allies of President Robert Mugabe to help the government set
minimum shareholdings in various segments of the economy to be allocated to
black investors.
Former Defense Force officials are prominent among the reported appointees
including retired Major-General Gilbert Mashingaidze, retired Air Commodore
Mike Karakadzai and retired Colonel Karikoga Kaseke, who is also the chief
executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
Others include media commissioner Chris Mutsvangwa, Affirmative Action Group
President Supa Mandiwanzira, musician Oliver Mtukudzi, presidential
spokesman George Charamba, businessman Delma Lupepe and Econet Wireless boss
Douglas Mboweni.
News reports quoted Kasukuwere as saying the appointees will come up with
sectoral stakeholding targets by the end of next month. Companies with
assets of more than US$500,000 are slated for indigenization.
Economic commentators said composition of the indigenization committees may
scare off investors as most of the appointees are ZANU-PF functionaries.
Bekithemba Mhlanga told VOA Studio 7 reporter Gibbs Dube that ZANU-Zanu PF
is determined to destroy Zimbabwe’s economy through empowerment of the
ruling elite.
“It is worrying that these committees are dominated by former ruling party
members who will do everything in their power to parcel the country’s
resources to people who are sympathetic to ZANU-PF,” said Mhlanga, adding
that “nothing constructive will come out of these committees.”
Economic commentator Masimba Kuchera said Kasukuwere is militarizing the
indigenization program. “Most of these appointees are former army officers
who are known to have spearheaded violent campaigns in the 2008 presidential
election run off.”