VICE-President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday denied the government bowed to pressure from Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote to swiftly implement a raft of reforms to improve the ease of doing business in the country.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Zimbabwe’s cumbersome indigenisation law, which forces foreign investors to cede 51% shareholding to locals, has been blamed for investor flight and the wait-and-see attitude as well as fuelling corruption.
It has been argued that the processes have allowed senior government officials to demand kickbacks to approve investment plans from would be investors.
Shortly after Dangote came to Zimbabwe and expressed interest in establishing different business ventures, the government, through the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), announced a litany of reforms “to improve the ease of doing business”.
Dangote has promised to set-up a $400 million cement manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe by mid-2016.
Some of the policy shifts include setting up an inter-agency platform under the (OPC) to deal with bureaucratic challenges, reducing the period of approving investment from the usual 21 days to one day in respect of company registration and reducing the time of obtaining construction permits from 448 days to 120. The period required for registering property was been reduced from 36 days to 14 days.
Officiating at an event to mark the United Nations (UN)’s 70th anniversary, Mnangagwa denied government was arm-twisted by the Nigerian billionaire’s influence.
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“I am aware that the Press went out its way when Dangote came to say because he was a billionaire, we shortened everything. No! We would want to do that to everybody, not to Dangote alone,” he said.
“Government remains committed to making the requisite economic reforms to attract foreign direct investment and has put in place a raft of measures so that Zimbabwe becomes competitive investment destination.
“I am charged with that responsibility of making Zimbabwe competitive and if anyone among you has better ideas which you think I don’t have, you are welcome to come and assist.”
Mnangagwa, who also doubles as Justice minister, expressed hope that the sustainable development goals would be a success story in Zimbabwe.
He, however, called for immediate reform on the UN’s Security Council.
“We need a United Nations that is democratic and truly representative of the contemporary world and not that of 1945. We, therefore, reiterate our call for the urgent reform of the UN Security Council in particular,” Mnangagwa said.
President Robert Mugabe last month also called for reform of the UN.
UN resident co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli said they had scaled up support in areas such as HIV and Aids, agriculture and conservation farming, maternal and child health, education, water and sanitation, decent work and skills development among others.
“The United Nations seeks to continue to build co-operation and partnership based on respect and focusing on development of mutually beneficial relationships among all stakeholders to once and for all end poverty and ensure the protection of our planet,” he said.
