Opinion / Columnist
Plan B: Kick the bloody foreigners out of Zimbabwe!
20 Aug 2011 at 19:34hrs | Views
"Make laws to take over their companies, threaten them, and enrich yourselves before the nation realises what we have done" – The Gospel according to Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment.
This is the story of Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, the man tasked with leading the Zimbabwe's indigenisation program. For the sound of it, Zimbabweans agree that there should be a program that is designed to offer equal opportunities for the native Zimbabweans, who for many years seem to have been left behind by the wealth creation programs. However, it appears the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act has been hijacked by Kasukuwere and his friends in Zanu PF who are now using the act as a looting tool to enrich themselves. With no public history in Business, Kasukuwere has failed to explain his quick road to riches that has seen him having interests in the energy, farming and banking sectors.
More than Enough?
Kasukuwere currently owns an oil procurement company called ComOil (PVT) Ltd, United Touring Company (UTC), several farms (said to total nine) including one called Concorpia Farm and he has substantial shareholdings in Genesis Bank and Interfresh (PVT) Ltd. For a 40 year old Minister, his wealth is difficult to explain.
Sensitivity, broke and cover-up!
Kasukuwere is very sensitive about his businesses, but he is definitely looking for funding at the moment because of the losses sustained (USD 3 million frozen due to sanctions). This explains why the United Touring Company has been run down badly. He simple does not have enough money to sustain the company. Kasukuwere doesn't run his oil business; his brother Donald Kasukuwere does. It is not clear how his involvement in the company is managed but there is information that the two are so close that the brother has been allowed to grab two farms for himself, Usaka in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central and Sangokwe North in Mwenezi.
Kicking the bloody foreigners out!
At the present moment, Kasukuwere is looking for a way to get BP, Total and other foreign owned oil companies out of the country so that he can be number one. Last year, it was reported that he tried to block fresh investment in the energy sector and he also tried to force BP and Shell to sell its assets to his oil company ComOil (PVT) Ltd. Also, he used the Zanu PF linked Affirmative Action Group to cause a stir at Chevron Caltex which he accused of not empowering local blacks, another sign that points to suspicious interests in the oil business.
If Saviour Kasukuwere gets his way of monopolising the oil industry, fuel prices will rocket. The question then is what will the effect be on ordinary Zimbabweans if the price of fuel goes up even further?
This is the story of Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, the man tasked with leading the Zimbabwe's indigenisation program. For the sound of it, Zimbabweans agree that there should be a program that is designed to offer equal opportunities for the native Zimbabweans, who for many years seem to have been left behind by the wealth creation programs. However, it appears the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act has been hijacked by Kasukuwere and his friends in Zanu PF who are now using the act as a looting tool to enrich themselves. With no public history in Business, Kasukuwere has failed to explain his quick road to riches that has seen him having interests in the energy, farming and banking sectors.
More than Enough?
Kasukuwere currently owns an oil procurement company called ComOil (PVT) Ltd, United Touring Company (UTC), several farms (said to total nine) including one called Concorpia Farm and he has substantial shareholdings in Genesis Bank and Interfresh (PVT) Ltd. For a 40 year old Minister, his wealth is difficult to explain.
Sensitivity, broke and cover-up!
Kasukuwere is very sensitive about his businesses, but he is definitely looking for funding at the moment because of the losses sustained (USD 3 million frozen due to sanctions). This explains why the United Touring Company has been run down badly. He simple does not have enough money to sustain the company. Kasukuwere doesn't run his oil business; his brother Donald Kasukuwere does. It is not clear how his involvement in the company is managed but there is information that the two are so close that the brother has been allowed to grab two farms for himself, Usaka in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central and Sangokwe North in Mwenezi.
Kicking the bloody foreigners out!
At the present moment, Kasukuwere is looking for a way to get BP, Total and other foreign owned oil companies out of the country so that he can be number one. Last year, it was reported that he tried to block fresh investment in the energy sector and he also tried to force BP and Shell to sell its assets to his oil company ComOil (PVT) Ltd. Also, he used the Zanu PF linked Affirmative Action Group to cause a stir at Chevron Caltex which he accused of not empowering local blacks, another sign that points to suspicious interests in the oil business.
If Saviour Kasukuwere gets his way of monopolising the oil industry, fuel prices will rocket. The question then is what will the effect be on ordinary Zimbabweans if the price of fuel goes up even further?
Source - hararesunset
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