The decision by Zanu PF to ugre its MPs to “resist with greatest vigour” intentions by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to initiate a parliamentary audit of all the indigenisation transactions confirms without doubt that the party has skeletons in its cupboard.
NewsDay Editorial
After media reports claimed massive corruption in the indigenisation process, particularly the Zimplats deal, Tsvangirai issued a statement saying as Prime Minister, he was concerned with the reports and that a full investigation by Parliament would of necessity be instituted to get to the bottom of the alleged corruption.
But Zanu PF came out guns blazing, attacking Tsvangirai calling on all its MPs to fight the Premier’s “miserable attempts”.
Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said Tsvangiraii was attempting to gain cheap political mileage by removing people’s attention from his party’s failures and warning such a “smear campaign” was meant to derail a “people’s cause” championed by his party.
“For our part, we call on all our Members of Parliament to treat Tsvangirai’s miserable move with the disdain it deserves,” Gumbo said.
“We are appalled by the Prime Minister’s call for a parliamentary probe into the on-going indigenisation exercise. We see this move as part of the MDC-T’s desperate move to capitalise on its failure over the years to act in the best interests of our people.
“Zanu PF’s position is that we will resist this latest attempt with the greatest vigour possible.”
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Zanu PF is dangling the indigenisation carrot to the electorate in the forthcoming elections expected in July.
According to Tsvangirai, indigenisation has been used by Zanu PF as an excuse to seize companies and loot everything owned by foreigners. The plunder, he says, was meant not for the benefit of majority Zimbabweans, but to further fatten the deep pockets of a few party chefs.
If Zanu PF is clean on the matter as it claims, why should they seek to block an audit of the exercise – to verify what has really taken place. It is very clear the indigenisation exercise has involved millions of dollar and massive wealth and anything involving money and property would require an audit in any modern society or in basic accounts.
If the indigenisation process has not stolen to fattened some few pockets, then there really is no need for anybody to so vehemently suggest an all-out war against an audit.
But the thing is there has been and continues to be massive looting taking place in the name of indigenisation.
The plunder has worried the Zanu PF top leadership including Vice-President Joice Mujuru who took the opportunity during the burial of John Mawoye at the national shrine on Saturday to attempt to rein in the looting comrades.
She said: “Let me state that empowerment and indigenisation are not mutually exclusive . . .”We should be practical and flexible to emphasise one or the other without compromising the thrust of the noble ideological position.”
Did you hear that Comrade Rugare Gumbo?
