Mliswa wants Chinese driven out

NORTON legislator Temba Mliswa has launched a scathing attack on Chinese nationals, describing them as bullies who have captured government and initiated grand looting of the country's resources.

Speaking to journalists Wednesday, Mliswa said he wanted the Chinese to be shut out of Zimbabwe.

His comments were in reference to allegations of abuse and disregard for human rights against some Chinese nationals operating mines and other businesses.

Mliswa questioned why the Chinese who beat up Chief Chivero at tiles manufacturer Sunny Yi Feng in Norton were not arrested and how government, through the information ministry got to do propaganda for the firm.

"The Chinese have bullied us and our leaders have been captured by them at the of the day, that is the truth of the matter," Mliswa said.

"They have left nothing for us, we have nothing, we are not a people, a Chief was beaten up, Chief Chivero was beaten up in that factory (Sunny Yi Feng) and the Ministry  of Information comes with propaganda facilitated for the Chinese who had beaten up the Chief and you do not comment on that. We are Africans, we have our culture and traditions, Mambo haarohwe and how can the whole nation keep quiet about that? I wish I was a strategist to some of these political  parties, my strategy would be simple, if I am in power i am keeping out all the Chinese," he said.

Villagers in coal rich Hwange have allegedly been threatened with eviction from their own homes by some Chinese owned companies given the green light by government to commence exploration or mining in those areas.

A similar situation is obtaining in Murehwa where some Chinese companies are mining granite and in Uzumba where chrome deposits where discovered.

Mutare's Dangamvura where residents are also up in arms with a Chinese mine granted permission to extract quarry in the Dangamvura mountain.

Added Mliswa: "So they have left us to be beaten up, we are abused, they do what they want. I am told  some of them have Zimbabwean passports, have you ever seen a Zimbabwean  with a Chinese passport?

"Is that corruption or what? How do they get Zimbabwean passports? Whether its through investment or what but they cannot outnumber the Zimbabweans voting at the end of the day and government must address this."

The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe however told said those highlighting ills done by some of its nationals are only doing so as a campaign.

"Were it not for China's funding support and the work of Chinese companies in ICT and power generation, even the statement in question would perhaps have to be scribbled down on a piece of paper, in a candle-lit room, and never find its way onto a functioning internet," read the statement