Look East policy a failure - MDC-T

The MDC-T organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe has said the Zanu PF government failure to listen to the voice of reason when the MDC-T advised them that it was not right to dissociate with the international community opting for the look east policy now that policy has failed to resolve the economic crisis which is continuing to escalate.

Bhebhe said, "We told them so. (President Robert) Mugabe and his Zanu PF who shouted ‘to hell with the West' after launching their Look East policy they claimed was a panacea to the fast falling national economy, characterized by world record breaking hyper-inflation."

He said they shouted to hell with the West even though it was clear that the Look East policy was failing to save the Zimbabwe dollar which was to be dumped and replaced by a basket of foreign currencies such as the US dollar instead of the Chinese yen.

"They buried their heads in the sand when we told them that Zimbabwe needs re-engagement with the West, and all other nations to rescues the economy and save jobs," said Bhebhe.

"They accused us of being puppets and pushing a regime change agenda when we tried to knock sense into their heads.

Fast-forward to 2015 and one can only but see pity and shame in Zanu-PF as common sense sets in as they frantically seek re-engagement with the West. Are they now also the puppets of the West?"
Bhebhe said they are begging for forgiveness, begging for money after clearly admitting in their private meetings that the Look East policy failed, as we indicated years ago.

"They need the West more than ever than China which has been robbing them, day and night, looting state resources," said Bhebhe.

"The promised billions from China and other promises of financial aid over the years have been a pie in the sky. Not only have the Chinese have been engaged in illegal activities such as smuggling of minerals and ivory and poaching, they were/are notorious for their violation of the labour laws such as long working hours, poor salaries and lack of protective clothing as well as physical abuse of employees."

The organising secretary said they have not created any employment as they are bringing cheap labour from their country.

"They (Chinese companies) paid bribes to the Zanu PF leaders while harvesting alluvial diamonds, now that only kimberlite remain deep underground and very expensive to mine they are now running away leaving very few Zanu PF corrupt top officials stinking rich with dirty money," he said. "The Look East failed and re-engagements with the West will not yield anything as long as long as Mugabe and Zanu PF continue behaving as if they are in a Cold War era."

He said Chinamasa will knock on each and every door of multi-lateral institutions and donor countries and will return empty handed as long as there is no political will to behave and respect property rights, rule of law, return to constitutionalism and stop their violence among all other evils.

Zanu PF introduced the look east policy at the height of targeted sanctions to Zimbabwe's political leadership as a way of countering the sanctions.