Nelson Chamisa's rant against China irritating

Mthwakazi Republic Party has said the rants by MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa that he wil chase away Chinese in the country were irritating and misleading.

"Firstly, it is a matter of concern for the working-class movement in Zimbabwe when May Day, the day of celebration for the workers has as its main speaker a person who has recently returned from Washington, capital of the world's most aggressive and destructive imperialist nation and the epicentre of world terrorism and of the neo-liberal agenda which has in so many countries destroyed permanent employment for the workers," said the party.

"This general problem was compounded when people with a different view from Chamisa were excluded by thugs from attending what should be an open gathering. The ZCTU leadership, by doing so, has dishonoured May Day, Workers' Day. We therefore call for an apology by the ZCTU leadership for its action into turning our glorious annual festival into a factional event. On the question of Chamisa himself. It is very clear that Britain, a close ally and indeed a satellite of the United States has already given its support to the Mnangagwa government from the time that Rory Stewart, British Minister of State for Africa visited Harare during the period of military intervention."

This action was followed by the attendance of Zimbabwe at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in which Zimbabwe was an observer. This is an obvious step towards Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth.

Here the ZCP asserts its belief in African unity. Although the word 'British' has been dropped from its title, the Commonwealth is still in reality the British Commonwealth and a tool of British monopoly capitalism and neo-colonial control.

While African countries belong to either of the two organisations perpetuating the rule of Africa's two major colonisers, the British Commonwealth and the French Community, African unity and African development can never happen to any meaningful degree.

Further, it is highly unlikely that the United States will give any substantial support to any part of the MDC in opposition to the programme of the British. It is certain, anyway, that the US, from the beginning, has been part of the plan to support Mnangagwa as has its other ally, Israel which will ensure a ZANU(PF) election victory through its control of the electoral system.

Chamisa, of course is aware of the fact that the United States is worried about the growing involvement of China in Africa's economy and that the ARRICOM programme of establishing US military control over Africa is to a great degree based on this fear. Chamisa, then, is hoping by his declaration that he intends to throw Chinese companies out of Zimbabwe is trying, vainly in our opinion, to obtain funding from the US for his election campaign.

Generally, although the People's Republic of China most certainly has an interest in Africa's raw materials, at government to government level and in terms of infrastructure development, China has been far easier to deal with and more understanding that the western Axis. It has not started wars in Africa nor murdered our leaders.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, China has been building the first roads since the Belgians left in 1960. This contrasts by the involvement of the US in the murder of Patrice Lumumba in 1961(under the Eisenhower administration), the sending of mercenaries to Congo in 1965 (under the Johnson administration) and the horrific Congo War of 1998 (under the Clinton administration).

We acknowledge, however, the bad treatment of workers by Chinese companies in Africa and in the course of meetings with the Communist Party of China the Zimbabwe Communist Party has raised this issue. Here it should be noted that there has been a clampdown on corruption in China since President Xi assumed office with harsh penalties, including the death penalty, being carried out even against the richest and most influential of the corrupt. We hope that the fight against corruption in China will carry on into Chinese companies in Africa.

But as Zimbabwean Communists we continue to assert that the responsibility of rebuilding of the economy of Zimbabwe cannot be given to any other country, however friendly. That responsibility must come from Zimbabweans themselves. Yes, we can obtain assistance from elsewhere, from foreign countries or from foreign companies, but control must remain in our hands.