MPs refuse to 'protect and secure' Mnangagwa's Belarus deals

President Emmerson Mnangagwa presided over the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Belarusian government in Minsk on Tuesday, but back home, opposition legislators blocked the ratification of a key agreement aimed at protecting Belarusian investments in Zimbabwe.

The agreement - on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments - was presented before the National Assembly by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheila Chikomo, who urged lawmakers to ratify it before the May 31, 2025, deadline.

Signed by President Mnangagwa in 2023, the pact remains unenforceable until it gains parliamentary approval.

Chikomo said the investment protection agreement was crucial for encouraging foreign direct investment from Belarus, promoting sustainable development, and strengthening bilateral economic ties.

The parliamentary portfolio committee on foreign affairs endorsed the agreement and recommended its ratification, citing its potential to improve Zimbabwe's investment climate.

However, MPs from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) raised serious concerns, accusing the executive of railroading parliament into rubber-stamping deals lacking transparency.

Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa criticised the timing of the presentation, which he said appeared deliberately coordinated with the president's current visit to Belarus.

"The coincidence of the minister bringing this agreement before this August House was designed to be timed with the president's official visit currently happening," said Mushoriwa.

He added: "Parliament cannot approve this agreement without full disclosure of the balance of trade between Belarus and Zimbabwe. We need to guard against deals that can be manipulated and exploited by a few individuals with political connections."

Mbizo legislator Corban Madziwanyika echoed the concerns, arguing that the agreement seemed skewed in favour of Belarus. "Zimbabwe is not exporting anything to Belarus. We are only importing finished products such as tractors, which does not support local industry," he said.

Mutsa Murombedzi, another CCC MP, was even more blunt: "Parliament should not become a rubber stamp for executive deals. This document potentially grants disproportionate power to foreign capital with little to no accountability. I therefore call upon this house to defer the approval."

Despite the resistance, ruling party Zanu PF MPs strongly defended the agreement. Supa Mandiwanzira led the charge in pushing for immediate approval, insisting that such bilateral agreements are critical for national development and investor confidence.

"We must not allow political posturing to derail progress," said Mandiwanzira. "This agreement protects both Zimbabwean and Belarusian investments and lays the groundwork for technology transfer and economic cooperation."

Zimbabwe and Belarus have deepened ties in recent years, particularly in the agricultural and mining sectors. Belarus has supplied Zimbabwe with farming equipment and fire tenders under government-backed procurement deals that have drawn scrutiny for lack of transparency and allegations of inflated prices.

Mnangagwa's administration sees Belarus as a strategic partner in its "Look East" foreign policy realignment, especially as relations with Western nations remain strained.

However, opposition lawmakers and civic groups have repeatedly raised red flags over the opaque nature of agreements involving Belarus, which they say often benefit politically connected elites more than ordinary Zimbabweans.

The investment protection agreement remains on hold pending further debate. Whether parliament ultimately approves it will depend on further deliberations and whether opposition concerns are addressed or overridden by Zanu PF's parliamentary majority.

For now, the deal joins a growing list of international agreements signed by Zimbabwe's executive branch but awaiting legislative ratification—a constitutional safeguard that is becoming increasingly contentious.