Kasukuwere urges ZANU PF youth to seize Indian businesses
By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 May, 2012
The Indigenisation and Youth Development Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has
reportedly been instructing ZANU PF youth structures to take over
businesses, supermarkets, shops owned by Indians and to identify mining
claims that they can take over as part of youth empowerment.
Trusted sources who attended a recent meeting held at Davis Hall in Bulawayo
told SW RadioAfrica correspondent Lionel Saungweme that Kasukuwere said
Indians should not be able to run shops in Zimbabwe while there are many
black youths without business opportunities.
“Kasukuwere is not aware that a lot of Indians actually participated in the
liberation struggle and were in ZAPU and ZIPRA structures. In fact during
Gukurahundi, Joshua Nkomo actually hid at the home of an Indian friend,”
Saungweme said.
He added that Kasukuwere is recommending the kind of disastrous takeovers
that took place in Uganda under Idi Amin, when Indians were forced out of
the country after being accused of owning too many businesses and
mistreating the locals. Uganda’s economy collapsed soon after and never
recovered.
The Indigenisation Minister also promised the ZANU PF youth they would get
loans under the government’s Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas
Fund (DIMAF) scheme, which was initiated by government to help businesses in
Bulawayo and other areas that have been ignored since independence. But so
far the loans have been granted mostly to businesses in Harare.
“Kasukuwere told them to re-submit their applications for DIMAF loans and he
would make sure they were availed to all youths in Bulawayo,” Saungweme
said, adding this was clearly part of ZANU PF’s election strategy, aimed at
increasing support from youth in Bulawayo.
The Minister was later embarrassed at a Business Forum in Lobengula when he
failed to answer questions relating to Matabeleland. Our correspondent said
he was “grilled” on DIMAF by Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga, Secretary
General of the MDC-N.
“Kasukuwere failed to answer the questions on issues to do with Matabeleland
and it showed he is very disconnected with what is happening on the ground,”
Saungweme said.
Gangs of ZANU PF youth have taken over council owned properties in Harare
and other cities and are collecting revenue that should be going to local
authorities. The youths have also taken over privately owned buildings,
knowing the police have no power to evict them.
Unfortunately, this so-called empowerment has driven away potential foreign
investors who fear their businesses will one day be taken over by gangs of
ZANU PF youth, with support from top officials like Kasukuwere.