By Makusha Mugabe
Reports that a Zimbabwean Minister told British investors visiting Zimbabwe to “mind their own business” when they asked about President Mugabe’s succession show how he has become an albatross around the economy, and Zanu (PF) does not give a damn.
And “unpleasant disagreement with a cabinet minister” is how it was put, after one or several investors tried to ask Minister Ignatius Chombo about who would succeed the 91-year-old Mugabe who is making headlines for falling, falling asleep in meetings and frequent trips to the Far East for treatment.
What serious businessman would not be interested to hear from the ruling party what its plans for replacing the leader are, particularly given how important the President is to decisions made in a country known for the uncertainty of its investment laws.
Instread of finding some diplomatic way of responding, or simply saying that Zanu (PF) has a succession plan, Chombo, the local government minister, told the 19-strong delegation that it was none of the visitors’ business who Zimbabweans vote for.
“We… had some little unpleasant disagreements when they wanted to refer to the succession in our own country,” Chombo said in comments carried on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s evening news bulletin.
“So I told them that who we vote for in Zimbabwe is our business and not their business.”
Why the government put the delegation in the hands of a the Minister of Local Government in the first place, rather than Finance, Trade and Economic Planning is itself questionable, but Chombo’s own failure to appreciate that Zimbabwe needs investors is unforgivable.
In fact the government should be reprimanding him for turning away and discouraging investors, rather that praising him for some fake sense of loyalty to President Robert Mugabe which makes talking about his succession a taboo.
Besides the election-rigging and repression that has made the regime a pariah in the international community and caused the US to impose sanctions on some of its leaders, Zimbabwe’s economy has suffered from capital flight, leading to retrenchments and much reduced government revenue.
And its Indigenisation policy is so opaque that a senior minister could not give the delegation any assurances, instead Chombo told them that, “it is really up to them to discuss with the relevant ministers and also the minister of indigenisation on what plans would be like for a particular investment,” according to a ZBC report.
And less than two weeks ago a rowdy bunch of ruling party youths blocked a United Arab Emirates investor who wanted to invest $45 million in a proposed Shawasha Multi-Purpose Business complex in Mbare.
Chombo was supposed to officiate at the the ground-breaking ceremony, but had not arrived. Jaffer Krisht, the investor, council officials and town clerk Tendai Mahachi were there.
But the Zanu PF youths, led by the councillor for ward 4 Martin Matinyanya and Mbare Chimurenga Choir, threatened to manhandle them and the investor, for “invading” their open space without their knowledge.
According to NewsDay the investor and his team were visibly scared and shocked at the behaviour of the Zanu PF youths who, after Mahachi announced the postponement of the ground-breaking event, thronged the tent pitched for the guests.
They ordered the investors and other invited guests out while baying for the blood of MDC-T councillors who were inside the tent. The investor threatened to pull out of the deal, citing the scary rowdy behaviour of the youths.
Chants of: “We don’t want white people here. We will beat you up if you don’t leave and MDC-T councillors must leave this place now,” were heard.
The Shawasha project would have seen more than 5 000 market stalls erected for small businesses together with banks, retail outlets and recreational facilities and potentially create more than 10 000 jobs.
The Deputy Mayor of Harare, Councillor Thomas Muzuva, said Zanu PF youths were violently resisting development.
They previously scuttled the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s $15 million project which would have benefited people living with HIV. ChangeZimbabwe.com
