Indigenisation: Is the timing appropriate?
23/12/2012 00:00:00
by Graham Nyakudjga
ZIMBABWE has gone through a massive land redistribution program which
although successful, has almost brought the country to its knees
economically. The reasons which caused this downward spiral of the economy
are varied.
The random seizures of once productive farms, sanctions imposed by
international powers, corruption and successive droughts are some of the
major causes of this historic economic disaster.
Were the land seizures wrong? The answers differ according to one’s
viewpoint.
My personal view is that it was inevitable to redistribute land as the
majority of people were squeezed in small unproductive plots in rural areas
in a country they called theirs. A need to resolve that condition was
paramount considering too that it was one of the burning issues which
Zimbabweans fought for during the liberation war.
Nevertheless, the good thing is that Zimbabwe can reverse the current bad
image and become a future case study for the whole of Africa in terms of
economic turn-around only if the government handles the situation carefully.
We have got educated, smart and hardworking human resources, fertile lands
and when there is no drought, we always receive ample rains and hence
nothing can stand in our way production-wise.
The biggest part of land redistribution is behind us if we do not take into
consideration some few reported minor cases of land grab still happening.
Land redistribution was a major exercise which will take some years for its
benefits to be realised – if we are not careful.
By that, I mean the government support towards this undertaking should be
adequate. New farmers need training to view farming as business since most
of them were only into small scale production, or peasant farming. Funding
should be availed for new farmers to secure inputs, machinery and pay for
labour.
Safeguards should be put in place to ensure that funding meant for
supporting farming is not diverted. Agricultural extension officers need to
be deployed to farms to impart vital farming methods and skills to the new
farmers. This will act as a catalyst to speed up realisation of big-time
production and bring back the country to its good old self.
The government is presently spearheading indigenisation of the economy .The
question is: Is the time ripe for that major project again before land
redistribution starts to bear fruits? Does the country have enough economic
muscles to carry itself through these combined major transformations?
There is no doubt the idea of indigenisation is a noble one, but here we
have a question of sustenance. History, as well as experience, are the best
teachers. What we learnt during the land redistribution needs not be
ignored. Inflation reached unprecedented levels and the human suffering
could not be measured.
There was a massive exodus of people in search of better living conditions.
If indigenisation is allowed to run concurrently with the land distribution
program, are we saying if we remove sanctions from the equation, the economy
will not be affected much?
Is it not going to exacerbate the suffering of our people? How about
delaying the indigenisation of the economy and gradually address current
challenges facing the country, then move forward at a later stage when the
storm is over.
Besides the nobility of the idea of indigenisation, some of our indigenous
entrepreneurs are unscrupulous, get-rich-quickly minded people whose methods
of running businesses leaves a lot to be desired. Government will need to
work overtime to put in place policies to prevent such conduct before the
country is further ruined.
We have seen what it’s like when some indigenous people run the show.
Professionalism is disregarded to its maximum. Corruption is the order of
the day. Business ethics are never taken seriously. Before wholesale
indigenisation is implemented, the government should let the already running
indigenous businesses keep competing with foreign-based entities.
This will help them learn to appreciate professionalism and embrace business
ethics. That learning curve will prove very crucial when total
indigenisation policies are implemented in the future. The other problem
with indigenous businesses is that they want instant profits whereas profits
should gradually build up. Quick profits are usually a result of corruption.
This type of business operation does not allow or present equal
opportunities to everyone but to some few usually politically-connected
individuals. Zimbabwe cannot allow itself to indulge in such ways as it does
not help it develop and compete on the international platform.
Don’t get me wrong and construe me as painting all indigenous businesses
with the same brush. Not at all! We have an example of Econet Wireless, an
indigenous company which is the largest Telco in Zimbabwe, and many people
envy the company and admire its prosperity. That should be commended, and I
wish many local companies emulate Econet Wireless and run their enterprises
likewise.
Policy makers should be urged to keep on brainstorming and formulating these
invaluable policies to better the lives of Zimbabweans. Proper planning and
reasoning should be the order of the day.
Ruling a country is big business and the effects should be shown by living
standards of the majority. We are no longer a colony of any country, and
that should motivate us to excel and refuse mediocrity.
Viva Zimbabwe.
Graham Nyakudjga is a Zimbabwean based in Australia. He can be contacted on
[email protected]