Opinion / Columnist
Is the banks seizure threat, a Zanu-PF diversionary tactic!
23 Aug 2011 at 11:44hrs | Views
Amid growing demands for answers to questions surrounding the sudden death of Retired General Solomon Tapfumaneyi Mujuru whose body was found burnt beyond recognition at Alamein Farm, Beatrice, is the banks seizure threat, a Zanu-PF diversionary tactic?
After a display of rare unity at the funeral for Mujuru, Zimbabweans have been kept in the dark save for what they already know. Note the wording in this opinion piece, we are not saying he was burnt to death but that his body was found burnt to ashes, because there has not yet been conclusive evidence about what caused his death - that is one of the unanswered questions.
Furthermore, Mujuru's allies reportedly vowed to have the matter discussed at the next politburo meeting and that they want the results of the investigations made public. That is where Zanu-PF is in a classical catch 22 situation.
The regime is very anxious to quickly shift attention to a more convenient and politically expedient subject of indigenisation or economic empowerment, this time involving the grabbing of what are mostly Western-owned banks in Zimbabwe.
The banks seizure threat, if it will ever materialise, would help unite the potentially fragmenting Zanu-PF, for the time being and earn the party unguarded sympathy from disgruntled unemployed youths in the same way the land grab (jambanja) was done with serious consequences to the economic stability of the country.
One of the dilemmas of the MDC formations in the GNU is which side to back in the current tug-of-war between Youth Affairs Minister Saviour Kasukuwere vs Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gideon Gono, after the former demanded that the latter should resign or risk being sacked because the governor is not sanctioning the banks seizure plan.
It is a matter of common knowledge that Mugabe's unilateral appointment of the Governor of the Reserve Bank Gideon Gono was one of outstanding issues to the GPA implementation until Jacob Zuma the facilitator suggested it be parked and move on to other issues.
Will the MDC formations say Gono must go and risk playing into Kasukuwere's hands or will they say he can stay in his post and risk contradicting themselves? Is this their opportunity to get Gono out or they have changed their minds?
Meanwhile, we await the indigenisation activists' view on how they would handle a possible multi million dollar reparations claim from victims of slavery, since Barclays Bank reportedly admitted some companies it bought participated in the slave trade.
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Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London, zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
After a display of rare unity at the funeral for Mujuru, Zimbabweans have been kept in the dark save for what they already know. Note the wording in this opinion piece, we are not saying he was burnt to death but that his body was found burnt to ashes, because there has not yet been conclusive evidence about what caused his death - that is one of the unanswered questions.
Furthermore, Mujuru's allies reportedly vowed to have the matter discussed at the next politburo meeting and that they want the results of the investigations made public. That is where Zanu-PF is in a classical catch 22 situation.
The regime is very anxious to quickly shift attention to a more convenient and politically expedient subject of indigenisation or economic empowerment, this time involving the grabbing of what are mostly Western-owned banks in Zimbabwe.
The banks seizure threat, if it will ever materialise, would help unite the potentially fragmenting Zanu-PF, for the time being and earn the party unguarded sympathy from disgruntled unemployed youths in the same way the land grab (jambanja) was done with serious consequences to the economic stability of the country.
It is a matter of common knowledge that Mugabe's unilateral appointment of the Governor of the Reserve Bank Gideon Gono was one of outstanding issues to the GPA implementation until Jacob Zuma the facilitator suggested it be parked and move on to other issues.
Will the MDC formations say Gono must go and risk playing into Kasukuwere's hands or will they say he can stay in his post and risk contradicting themselves? Is this their opportunity to get Gono out or they have changed their minds?
Meanwhile, we await the indigenisation activists' view on how they would handle a possible multi million dollar reparations claim from victims of slavery, since Barclays Bank reportedly admitted some companies it bought participated in the slave trade.
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Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London, zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
Source - Clifford Chitupa Mashiri
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