News / National
MDC-T selling out - Abednico Bhebhe
13 Mar 2012 at 07:14hrs | Views
MDC-T Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Abednico Bhebhe says that there is nothing wrong with his party selling out to the West as long as it improves the lives of Zimbabweans.
Bhebhe was speaking at public meeting held in Bulawayo last week. The meeting was organized by Bulawayo Agenda as part of its efforts to enable political parties a platform to evaluate the three-year old all inclusive government.
Bhebhe said his party was working for the improvement of the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe, arguing the brand of being sell-outs was a Zanu PF initiative aimed at turning the people against his party.
"ZANU PF says the MDC are sell-outs. They claim that we sell out to white imperialists in the West. When you talk about money, naturally there is selling involved. Surely what is wrong with me going to the West to sell out so that we get investments and so that factories that were closed are re-opened?" Bhebhe said.
He added: "Tell me if there is anything wrong with selling out if it will enable us to mine our diamonds and also to build a plant that will process our diamonds locally.
"I don't see anything wrong with that. We need to do that so that our hospitals have medicines and our schools are operating in an efficient manner. What is wrong is for someone to steal diamonds in Chiadzwa and go and sell them in China while and we do not see the proceeds of those diamonds as a country," said Bhebhe.
The former Nkayi legislator also took a swipe at Minister of Youth Development, Indigenization and Empowerment, Savior Kasukuwere whom he accused of frustrating his party's efforts to secure investment for the country through his controversial indigenization regulations.
"What is wrong is for Kasukuwere to criticize us for making efforts to revive this economy while he is the one who is reversing our gains through his indigenization programmes," Bhebhe said.
"They have destroyed agricultural output on the land and now they are taking their destructive campaign to the industries. We can see the same hand that destroyed the land moving to industry," he added.
Bhebhe criticized the choice of China as an investment partner that ZANU PF favoured, saying China is a Third World country that is not capable of bringing to Zimbabwe meaningful foreign direct investment.
He said that Zimbabwe should look to the West whom he said has a reputable list of traditional investors.
"Our Members of Parliament need to seriously talk about the issue of investment but I have a problem if they choose a country like China.
"China, to the best of my knowledge is a Third World country officially but they have worked hard to achieve the status of a First World country. So China is not the best partner for investment. We need to go to countries like the Americas and Europe who are known for their investment capacity. These countries, which are hated by ZANU PF, are the countries that can get us out of our economic problems," Bhebhe argued.
Bhebhe was speaking at public meeting held in Bulawayo last week. The meeting was organized by Bulawayo Agenda as part of its efforts to enable political parties a platform to evaluate the three-year old all inclusive government.
Bhebhe said his party was working for the improvement of the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe, arguing the brand of being sell-outs was a Zanu PF initiative aimed at turning the people against his party.
"ZANU PF says the MDC are sell-outs. They claim that we sell out to white imperialists in the West. When you talk about money, naturally there is selling involved. Surely what is wrong with me going to the West to sell out so that we get investments and so that factories that were closed are re-opened?" Bhebhe said.
He added: "Tell me if there is anything wrong with selling out if it will enable us to mine our diamonds and also to build a plant that will process our diamonds locally.
"I don't see anything wrong with that. We need to do that so that our hospitals have medicines and our schools are operating in an efficient manner. What is wrong is for someone to steal diamonds in Chiadzwa and go and sell them in China while and we do not see the proceeds of those diamonds as a country," said Bhebhe.
The former Nkayi legislator also took a swipe at Minister of Youth Development, Indigenization and Empowerment, Savior Kasukuwere whom he accused of frustrating his party's efforts to secure investment for the country through his controversial indigenization regulations.
"What is wrong is for Kasukuwere to criticize us for making efforts to revive this economy while he is the one who is reversing our gains through his indigenization programmes," Bhebhe said.
"They have destroyed agricultural output on the land and now they are taking their destructive campaign to the industries. We can see the same hand that destroyed the land moving to industry," he added.
Bhebhe criticized the choice of China as an investment partner that ZANU PF favoured, saying China is a Third World country that is not capable of bringing to Zimbabwe meaningful foreign direct investment.
He said that Zimbabwe should look to the West whom he said has a reputable list of traditional investors.
"Our Members of Parliament need to seriously talk about the issue of investment but I have a problem if they choose a country like China.
"China, to the best of my knowledge is a Third World country officially but they have worked hard to achieve the status of a First World country. So China is not the best partner for investment. We need to go to countries like the Americas and Europe who are known for their investment capacity. These countries, which are hated by ZANU PF, are the countries that can get us out of our economic problems," Bhebhe argued.
Source - The Southern Star
