News / National
'Zimbabwe laws not made by God'
13 May 2014 at 11:55hrs | Views
Foreign Affairs deputy minister Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa Monday said the country's laws are not cast in stone and can be changed to suit the needs of particular investors.
Mutsvangwa, who has knack of speaking his mind and making controversial statements, said laws were not made by God but men and could, therefore, be changed. He was saying this in reference to the country's indigenisation laws.
Mutsvangwa was addressing guests at a farewell ceremony for the out-going Chinese economic and commercial counselor to Zimbabwe, Han Bing, who is leaving for Cairo, Egypt.
"There is no law that cannot be changed, we can change these laws to suit investors, we are open to change that can suit investors, we did it in the tobacco sector and we can do it in any other sector," he said.
Mutsvangwa said changes could be effected to the Indigenisation Act as laws were not immortal and can be changed any time.
"Remember, we changed tobacco selling model. Initially, it was an auctioning model which was in line with colonial system then we changed it to contract based model and now tobacco is the highest export earner in agriculture.
"The same can be done with the Indigenisation policy. It can be changed to suit investors, the President is on record on this issue, he even mentioned it in Bulawayo during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair," said Mutsvangwa.
There has been a lot of confusion in government with regards to indigenisation with different ministers saying different things, depicting a disconnect on the issue in government.
Finance and Economic Development minister Patrick Chinamasa has also said there is no one size fits all approach to indigenisation but that the process would be done on a sector by sector basis.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has become China's biggest trading partner. Trade volumes between the countries have increased from $562 000 in 2010 to $1,1 billion in 2013 while investments from China into Zimbabwe increased from $33,8 million in 2010 to $600 million in 2013.
Recently, Presidential minister Didymus Mutasa blasted China for failing to come on board to help the country revive its economy.
Mutsvangwa, who has knack of speaking his mind and making controversial statements, said laws were not made by God but men and could, therefore, be changed. He was saying this in reference to the country's indigenisation laws.
Mutsvangwa was addressing guests at a farewell ceremony for the out-going Chinese economic and commercial counselor to Zimbabwe, Han Bing, who is leaving for Cairo, Egypt.
"There is no law that cannot be changed, we can change these laws to suit investors, we are open to change that can suit investors, we did it in the tobacco sector and we can do it in any other sector," he said.
Mutsvangwa said changes could be effected to the Indigenisation Act as laws were not immortal and can be changed any time.
"The same can be done with the Indigenisation policy. It can be changed to suit investors, the President is on record on this issue, he even mentioned it in Bulawayo during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair," said Mutsvangwa.
There has been a lot of confusion in government with regards to indigenisation with different ministers saying different things, depicting a disconnect on the issue in government.
Finance and Economic Development minister Patrick Chinamasa has also said there is no one size fits all approach to indigenisation but that the process would be done on a sector by sector basis.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has become China's biggest trading partner. Trade volumes between the countries have increased from $562 000 in 2010 to $1,1 billion in 2013 while investments from China into Zimbabwe increased from $33,8 million in 2010 to $600 million in 2013.
Recently, Presidential minister Didymus Mutasa blasted China for failing to come on board to help the country revive its economy.
Source - Zim Mail
