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Mutambara decries mine takeovers

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DEPUTY Prime Minister (DPM) Arthur Mutambara on Wednesday castigated people who are illegal seizing mines under the guise of the indigenisation policy, describing it as “law of the jungle”.

DEPUTY Prime Minister (DPM) Arthur Mutambara on Wednesday castigated people who are illegal seizing mines under the guise of the indigenisation policy, describing it as “law of the jungle”.

REPORT BY VENERANDA LANGA

Mutambara was responding to a question from Mutasa North MP David Chimhini in the House of Assembly on whether the recent alleged takeover of RioZim’s Renco Mine in Masvingo was part of government policy.

“It is certainly not government policy for individuals to apply the law of the jungle and take up other people’s assets because we are a country rooted in the rule of law,” he said.

The High Court recently ruled that Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, Zanu PF legislator for Chivi South Irvine Dzingirai and Obediah Mazombwe must stop interfering with operations at Renco Mine. Mzembi has appealed against the ruling, arguing he never participated in the alleged takeover of the troubled mine.

“I am very happy that on the matter you refer to, the judiciary agreed with the position of the Executive that it is not government policy for individuals to take over mines and the court has moved in to correct this irresponsible behaviour,” Mutambara said.

“We do believe in economic empowerment of our people and indigenisation of the economy, but it is important that the actions of our minister and MPs do not undermine investor confidence.

“In particular, ministers of government must be custodians of the law.”

The DPM also castigated police crackdown on citizens and civic organisations possessing “illegal” radio gadgets.

“We believe in multiple channels of communication in the country as this is the information, ICT age, and the age of Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter,” he said. “It does not make sense for this country to have one television station — are we mad?”