Zanu PF Using Empowerment Law As Vote Catching Gimmick: Admits Kasukuwere
Harare, March 21, 2012- Zanu PF politburo member and Indigenisation Minister
Saviour Kasukuwere says his Zanu PF party will use the controversial
empowerment law to win the country’s next election.
Kasukuwere said this in an interview with the Doha based Al Jazeera english
television on Tuesday.
“Any political party must pursue policies that allow it to win an election.
It will be fool hardy for my political party or the government to pursue
policies that will make us lose elections.
“So if you are going to look at it that way and say we are doing it because
we are in politics, fine, i am a politician and i am in politics so whatever
you do in politics is about elections,” said Kasukuwere after being asked if
his party was implementing the indigenisation laws that he has been
actively championing as an election draw card.
“I will be foolish to pursue policies that make us lose elections. I will be
totally stupid but in terms of this policy we have said we are empowering
our people and we are making no apology about that, if someone say we are
electioneering then yes.
“Our people are empowered and we are electioneering, it is part of life, we
have to look after our people. This country is under sanctions we can’t
afford to leave again our economy exposed to the pressure that can be put on
our nation by foreigners.”
But speaking to the same station in London where he is attending an African
business conference, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the empowerment
law is an election ploy by President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party.
“It is practically impossible to implement the law, we have told everyone
that this is election talk, it is known that you can’t implement it and we
have told Mugabe that,” said Tsvangirai whose party has been largely
critical of the legislation saying it will chase away the much needed
foreign investment.