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Govt ponders honouring Mahachi for bringing Dangote to Zim

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GOVERNMENT is considering awarding special honours to Zimbabwe-born television personality Josey Mahachi for luring Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and other business magnates to invest in Zimbabwe.

GOVERNMENT is considering awarding special honours to Zimbabwe-born television personality Josey Mahachi for luring Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and other business magnates to invest in Zimbabwe.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

Mahachi, who hosts TV show Click Africa, which features on M-Net Africa Magic, recently lured Dangote, Africa’s richest man, to Harare.

Dangote promised to invest over $400 million in a cement plant, among other investment deals.

Josey Mahachi flanked by Aliko Dangote (Left) and President Mugabe at State House on Monday

According to government sources, there is serious lobbying by Cabinet ministers to honour Mahachi and to credit her for “helping the country when its officials are failing”.

“From the highest offices of the Vice-Presidents to Cabinet ministers, there is conviction and appreciation of the great works by this young lady who has braved and shelved her interests for the country,” said a senior government official who refused to be named saying the matter was still under discussion. Besides bringing Dangote, Mahachi is also involved in running an upmarket restaurant, Gotcha Nyama, in Harare.

Gotcha Nyama was opened last year during a prestigious event attended by Nelson Mandela’s grandson Chief Zwelivelile Mandlesizwe Dalibhunga Mandela.

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangangwa and Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo are said to be seized with the matter.

According to sources, the idea has already received support from Tourism minister Walter Mzembi and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, among others.

On her part, Mahachi said she did all she could to lure the billionaire to Harare, but she expected no reward for that.

“I brought Dangote not to be rewarded and I am ready to bring more because I have contacts the world over. I have met many rich people looking to invest and knowing the situation in my country, I have asked them to come and invest,” Mahachi said.

“Whatever government wants to do is their choice, but as for me, I am concerned with our economy. I am concerned with what everyone should do to turn it around and I am looking far and wide,” she said.

Efforts to get a comment from Mnangagwa or Chombo were fruitless as their phones went unanswered.