Climb Down, Retract, Repeal, Review, Reverse … Mugabe’s Whatever Policy Puzzle! Rejoice Ngwenya is Jus Passin By Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, 2 June 2014 President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his beleaguered Zimbabwe African National Union –Patriotic Front (ZANU.PF) are currently embroiled in life-sapping policy confusion. Call it whatever you want - “climb down”, “retraction”, “repeal”, ”review”, “reverse” - the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act and its populist ‘black empowerment’ mantra is finally staring at the muzzle. Not that he was not warned. Ever since his Parliament promulgated this and the Compulsory Land Acquisition Act that mutated into the violent’ fast track land reform policy’, Mugabe has found himself stuck with a dead economy. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industry (CZI), the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), the Chamber of Mines and the Bankers Association have, for two decades, shouted their voices hoarse imploring Mugabe to shift his position from dogmatic extreme to liberal sensible. Now, looking all battered, the hapless ZANU.PF has decided to discard the laws and policies that are clogging Zimbabwe’s investment arteries. Nobody in his right senses would want to invest in a country that expropriates land, despises title deeds, demands 100% resource ownership while preventing labour rationalization. Former Central Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono may not be one to rub his hands with “I told you so!” glee. He has a fledgling political career to protect. Yet he warned, on many occasions, that the ‘indigenisation’ minister’s populist, vote-buying, one-size-fits-all approach to black empowerment is driving Zimbabwe to the economic abyss. Take a walk around Harare’s industrial area and see how many factories are empty. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city is but one giant flea market of South African goods. And yet Mugabe’s media spin doctors still want to present ‘nice faces’ telling - more like confusing the world – that this is not about repealing or reversing the policy, but ‘reviewing it to ensure Zimbabweans own 100% of the natural resources’. What crap in the face of tragedy! As of today, 2 June 2014, Mugabe has already been to ‘Damascus’ and the proverbial bolt of light from the sky ‘showeth’ him one important truth: that his knowledge of economics is as bad as mine of nautical engineering! Standard Bank’s Africa Chief Executive Diana Layfield is threatening to pull out of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Investment Centre will soon embark on a ‘tour of the West’ to persuade skeptical investors that the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act and its populist ‘black empowerment’ mantra were all but a bad dream! I have good news for Mugabe: go to Parliament, repeal all the anti-investment laws then invite policy think tanks, the CZI, ZNCC et al for a ‘Let’s Get Zimbabwe Working Again’ conference. At this forum, Mr. Mugabe, you must admit that your perspective of indigenization, black empowerment and land reform went terribly wrong. You will then thank Zimbabweans for their support in your last 34 years of rule, and then offer your resignation. Your legacy will be hoisted in bright lights!
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 04:16:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015