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Source: Indigenisation law ill-conceived: Zanu PF | Newsday (News)

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

GOVERNMENT rolled out an ill-conceived indigenisation policy for political expediency during the late former President Robert Mugabe’s era, Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa has said.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, the former Finance minister said the law had to be revoked under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration because it was ill-conceived and did not make sense.

He added that the policy was a G40 project meant to empower individuals, instead of benefiting the nation.

“I need also to add here, about the 51:49%, we abandoned it precisely for this reason. It was not well thought, to say an investor can bring $100 million and an individual overnight claims a 51% stake of it,” Chinamasa said.

Zanu PF said it was working on a new document which would allow 90% of the economy to be in the hands of Zimbabweans and, instead, act on empowering communities as opposed to individuals.

“As the document will explain, we are going to be empowering communities, not individuals. We cannot just get an individual who says ‘I am already 51% richer’ in an investment which has come into a country. If you are paying something, no problem,” Chinamasa said.

The indigenisation policy caused a stir in Mugabe’s government, with Chinamasa and then minister Patrick Zhuwao clashing over implementation of the policy.

It was seen as one of the major reasons why foreign direct investment fled to safer destinations as investors either sold their stock or steered clear of Zimbabwe fearing they would fall foul to the law.

Chinamasa claimed most of those bad laws were being imposed unconstitutionally on government by the G40 faction fronted by then First Lady Grace Mugabe.

“Members of Cabinet who were G40 decided to take advantage of the advancement in age of the former President, and were reporting directly to the former First Lady in Mazowe, where decisions of Cabinet would be reversed. Now that is a serious onslaught on a national Constitution,” Chinamasa said.

Grace, according to Chinamasa, became a de facto President, pulling all the strings in Mugabe’s government and reducing Cabinet ministers to mere figureheads.

“That you have people outside who are not the President, totally usurping Executive powers to make decisions of an executive nature, then you have a person like (Saviour) Kasukuwere talking about constitutionalism. I think it was in the public glare that Kasukuwere and his friends in Cabinet were hanging on very strongly determinedly to the apron strings of the former First Lady and the skirts. What constitutionalism did he find there on the aprons of Grace Mugabe’s skirts?” he asked rhetorically.

Grace once publicly told party supporters that she used to give orders to Mugabe’s deputies — Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko.

Chinamasa accused former G40 members of wanting to use South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party to weave their way back into Zanu PF.

The post Indigenisation law ill-conceived: Zanu PF appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

OPPOSITION MDC Alliance secretary-general Charlton Hwende has dismissed remarks by his erstwhile MDC-T colleague Douglas Mwonzora who claimed Nelson Chamisa’s trucks were in the business of transporting milk from Gushungo Dairy. The dairy is owned by Grace Mugabe widow to former president Robert Mugabe. Commemorating the MDC’s 21st anniversary Saturday at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, […]

The post LATEST: Douglas Mwonzora'a evil plot to tarnish most loved leader Nelson Chamisa's image EXPOSED first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Former Midlands Provincial Governor, Jason Machaya was yesterday convicted for abuse of office by a Gweru magistrate. Machaya, together with former Midlands Provincial Physical Planner, Chisayinyerwa Chibururu, have been facing charges of abuse of office involving the sale of State land in Gokwe. The two pleaded not guilty to the offence, but trial magistrate, Ms […]

The post Ex-Minister Jason Machaya convicted of selling State land, remanded in custody for sentencing first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: Parly defends clampdown on machete gangs | Newsday (News)

by VENERANDA LANGA

CHAIRPERSON of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines, Edmond Mkaratigwa has defended the recent deployment of security forces on rowdy machete gangs which he described as “vampires” disturbing orderly mining activities in the country.

Mkaratigwa’s remarks came amid reports that the machete gangs had resurfaced in the country’s gold-rich areas after they were flushed out by security forces early this year.

“The committee noted during the initial hearing on the matter of its gold inquiry that these machete gangs had the propensity to resurface,” Mkaratigwa said.

“Information gathered had been indicating that they had migrated to a neighbouring country after the crackdown by the security forces before the COVID-19 lockdown.

“These are like vampires, once they have tasted blood they will really fight back to suck again and they need an organised and joint security force that drives them off stage and also, they need to be starved off what makes them thrive.”

The machete gangs had caused havoc in different mining areas in various parts of the country, killing, maiming and robbing miners of their gold.

The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) recently disclosed that the machete gangs had resurfaced due to loss of income and caused havoc between June and July.

“With many jobs and sources of income being disrupted and the high costs of basic commodities, many people are increasingly moving into the artisanal small scale (ASM) gold mining sector for the quick money they can get. A series of machete violence cases have been reported in June and July 2020,” Zela said.

“In Zvishavane, one man was injured following a gold rush. In Matobo at Nugget Mine, a machete gang violence case was reported. Reports of gang invasions were also recorded in Maphisa, Makwe, and Mvana and Gwanda with criminals and gold gangs escaping with cash, digital scales, and gold ore. Machete violence incidents have been recorded at a number of mines in Bubi where the criminal gangs managed to get away with gold ore.”

Mkaratigwa urged government to adopt a mineral-tracing system to curb thefts and disorganised mining.

“There is need for more localised whistleblowers which feed into the security web to help to nip the matter in the bud. The Mines committee and the country in general should invest in understanding the foundations and feeding troughs of such behaviour for the sake of future planning that incorporates the risk reduction thinking,” he said.

“Lessons should be drawn through an in-depth investigative study and the behaviour decimated. The formalisation of small-scale miners who remain vastly informal is one of the biggest solutions advanced by the Mines committee and contrary behaviour has always been berated by the same,” he said.

The post Parly defends clampdown on machete gangs appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Hwange to impound stray livestock | Newsday (News)

By NQOBANI NDLOVU/ NIZBERT MOYO

The Hwange Local Board (HLB) has resolved to impound stray livestock found roaming in residential areas as the municipality seeks to restore sanity in the coal-mining town.

According to the local authority, livestock such as cattle, goats and sheep have become a nuisance, as they disturb residents’ peace and destroy their vegetable gardens.

“The animals are also posing danger to both motorists and pedestrians. To this end, the council wishes to advise livestock owners to effectively control the movement of their animals and guard against them encroaching into residential areas. Failure which they risk being penalised for contravening council by-laws in relation to keeping of animals, reptiles and birds,” HLB said.

The local authority also said it was concerned with the increase in repeat offenders.

“The local authority continues to face the strain of keeping impounded animals before they are claimed by their owners,”

“Various initiatives are currently being explored to come up with more deterrent measures to curb uncontrolled movement of animals within residential areas.”

Any person whose cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys would be impounded, the council said, shall be liable to pay a fine of $280 per head per day.

The fines, the HLB said, would be reviewed from time to time.

“No person shall be permitted to let his/her animals wander or feed in the council area without the written consent of council,” HLB added.

“Council shall retain the right and power for the seizure of animals which are found trespassing or straying and the sale, destruction or other disposal of such animals if they are not claimed within two weeks.”

The local authority added that it also had the right to kill such animals if diseased and deemed prejudicial to the health or safety of human beings or other animals.

HLB also said it was planning to enter into a private public partnership to build a technical college in the mining town, the first of its kind in Matabeleland North province.

HLB board chairman Nqobile Mabhena told Southern Eye last week that the municipality would provide the land and had already approached the responsible ministry about the idea.

“Matabeleland North does not have a technical college and Hwange has been a ‘technical’ town, we would love to have the first technical college in the region built here,” Mabhena said.

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