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Tendai Biti lashes out at Zanu-PF mine grabbers
15 Mar 2013 at 05:59hrs | Views
MDC-T secretary-general and Finance minister Tendai Biti has lashed out at top Zanu-PF politicians who have reportedly grabbed mines and other companies saying their actions negatively affected economic growth and recovery.
Biti told NewsDay alongside a party rally in Kwekwe on Wednesday that such actions affected revenue inflows to Treasury because when the companies were rundown, tax revenues stopped flowing into government coffers and social services were affected.
"In most cases, the Zanu-PF ministers and MPs neither have the knowledge to run the grabbed mines or capital to fund operations of those companies and we see once-thriving entities becoming shells just months down the line," Biti said.
"This is not good for the economy. Industry has been destroyed under the watch of Zanu-PF. They have even destroyed that which was left by Ian Smith. Kwekwe used to be known as the hub of industry in Zimbabwe, but it's now known for feja feja and chabuta (gambling)."
Zanu-PF Buhera North MP William Mutomba, through Midkwe Minerals, recently grabbed gold-rich Kwekwe-based Chaka Plant and Mine from Australian born businessman Lee Waverly Jones, while Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi is embroiled in another firm grab at Renco Mine in Masvingo.
Biti said the preamble of the Copac Draft constitution was meant to stop looting of resources by corrupt governments and ensure that the dignity of hard work was rewarded.
"Zanu-PF does not know what dignity of hard work means, they loot and steal, look at what they have done with the indigenisation programme. They feed like broiler chickens who eat non-stop, but it is that eating which will kill them," the MDC-T party chief said.
Biti said there was need to ensure Ziscosteel and Sable Chemicals among other major companies facing collapse were revived to provide employment opportunities for Zimbabweans and revenue for the government.
"After 33 years of independence, we have 60% of the urban population who are still lodgers, 70% unemployment and over 48% of rural population that is practicing rural defecation (using bush toilets), because we have been led by a government that lacks love for its people," he said.
Biti told NewsDay alongside a party rally in Kwekwe on Wednesday that such actions affected revenue inflows to Treasury because when the companies were rundown, tax revenues stopped flowing into government coffers and social services were affected.
"In most cases, the Zanu-PF ministers and MPs neither have the knowledge to run the grabbed mines or capital to fund operations of those companies and we see once-thriving entities becoming shells just months down the line," Biti said.
"This is not good for the economy. Industry has been destroyed under the watch of Zanu-PF. They have even destroyed that which was left by Ian Smith. Kwekwe used to be known as the hub of industry in Zimbabwe, but it's now known for feja feja and chabuta (gambling)."
Zanu-PF Buhera North MP William Mutomba, through Midkwe Minerals, recently grabbed gold-rich Kwekwe-based Chaka Plant and Mine from Australian born businessman Lee Waverly Jones, while Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi is embroiled in another firm grab at Renco Mine in Masvingo.
Biti said the preamble of the Copac Draft constitution was meant to stop looting of resources by corrupt governments and ensure that the dignity of hard work was rewarded.
"Zanu-PF does not know what dignity of hard work means, they loot and steal, look at what they have done with the indigenisation programme. They feed like broiler chickens who eat non-stop, but it is that eating which will kill them," the MDC-T party chief said.
Biti said there was need to ensure Ziscosteel and Sable Chemicals among other major companies facing collapse were revived to provide employment opportunities for Zimbabweans and revenue for the government.
"After 33 years of independence, we have 60% of the urban population who are still lodgers, 70% unemployment and over 48% of rural population that is practicing rural defecation (using bush toilets), because we have been led by a government that lacks love for its people," he said.
Source - newsday
