The Chinese are looting resources in Zimbabwe while treating locals as second class citizens and President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not taking any action against this, says Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) Executive Director Farai Maguwu.
When Mnangagwa assumed power through a military coup that ousted late former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017, his administration is being accused of turning a blind eye to abuses by the Chinese in the country.
Many people from the Asian nation started flocking into Zimbabwe where they displaced locals sitting on minerals.
Other Chinese nationals are also involved in physical abuse of the locals. They allegedly do this banking on the support that they get from Mnangagwa.
In a thread he posted on Twitter, Maguwu quoted Mnangagwa’s speech when he was inaugurated as Zimbabwe’s President in 2018 when he pledged to protect Zimbabweans and the Constitution.
He quoted ‘I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, do hereby swear that I’ll be faithful to Zimbabweans and uphold and defend the Constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe and that I will promote whatever will advance and oppose whatever may harm Zimbabweans.
‘That I will promote and protect the rights of the people of Zimbabwe……..that I will devote myself to the well being of Zimbabweans, so help me God’. Maguwu said, “these words were uttered by H.E Mnangagwa as he took oath of office in August 2018.”
He added four years down the line, “our beautiful country is fast being colonized by the Republic of China whose nationals have entered villages, threatening to displace citizens and claiming to be armed with Special Grants and many other titles they claim to have obtained from OPC (Office of the President and Cabinet) and MoM (Mines Ministry).
“That Zimbabwe is now a Chinese colony is now public knowledge. Chinese have gone even to the point of assaulting traditional leaders and using firearms against workers. Your Excellency, the Chinese are now harming your people.
“The nation is groaning at the industrial-scale looting of Zimbabwe’s wealth by the Chinese. The Chinese are also involved in poaching. In December 2018, 7 Chinese nationals were arrested in Vic Falls with 84KGs of Rhino horns and loads of cash,” he said.
Maguwu noted that in April 2019 the seven were granted bail and later skipped bail and fled the country.
“It is common knowledge that one of the conditions for bail is assurance that the person will not abscond and flee from justice. The likelihood of conviction is also used to deny offenders bail”
“Chinese enjoy economic opportunities which Zimbabweans are denied. They are above the law. At Dangamvura Mountain in Mutare they went on to start their operations without an Environmental Impact Assessment.
“In any other normal country this is a serious violation of a country’s sovereignty and the criminals are arrested, sentenced and thereafter deported. But in Zimbabwe the @China_Amb_Zim who shamelessly defends criminal acts by his nationals in our country, has come to the defence of this company – Freestone Quarrying.
“In Uzumba Chiefs were told by Chinese nationals that they have no title deeds to the land they occupy. In the face of all these iniquities against your own people that you swore on oath to serve faithfully, Mr President, your silence has been deafening.”
Maguwu urged Mnangagwa to address the nation “before things get out of hand. If the government fails to defend our national interest then we are forced to defend our country, our ecosystems and livelihoods with everything at our disposal.”
“Zimbabweans are NOT against the Chinese. They just need to respect us as a sovereign people, living on our land. They must stop the looting of our resources. They must never be allowed to treat us as second class citizens in our own country. Zimbabwe is NOT for sale!
“As the country’s 1st citizen, you cannot afford to remain a spectator when your people are being disrespected and the country being pillaged under your watch.”
Maguwu confirmed it is his Twitter handle. Nehanda Radio
