adminConrad Mwanawashe Business Reporter
TANZANIAN milling group, Bakhresa Limited, which is nearing the takeover of Blue Ribbon Industries, has torched a storm for attempting to import senior management executives to lead the local operations.
Local empowerment group, Affirmative Action Group says Bakhresa’s attempt to ship in a chief executive officer is improper and unfortunate.
In a letter dated October 22, the AAG implored the Minister of Home Affairs Dr Ignatious Chombo to uphold the decision by the Department of Immigration to bar Bakhresa from employing a foreign national to the helm of Blue Ribbon. The AAG’s action follows an appeal by Bakhresa to Dr Chombo against the principal director of Immigration’s decision to refuse to issue a permit to the group’s intended choice for chief executive officer.
“We write to fully support the decision by the Department of Immigration to deny Bakhresa (Tanzania) Limited a work permit for a foreign national to head its Blue Ribbon Industries operations,” AAG national president Mr Chamu Chiwanza said.
“It is simply improper and unfortunate, if not condescending, for Bakhresa (Tanzania) Limited to attempt to appoint a foreigner to head its BRI operations given the abundant human resource capital this country is endowed with as a result of the massive education programme that was authored and executed by His Excellency, President Mugabe,” Mr Chiwanza said.
BRI is the country’s second largest grain milling company and ranked in the top 20 largest milling entities in Africa.
“Since independence, this company has been headed and led by local Zimbabweans. In fact, the entire milling industry has never had a foreigner appointed as chief executive officer for any of the milling companies since the attainment of our hard won independence in 1980,” he said.
The AAG argued that the milling sector is a 100 percent reserved sector for locals in terms of the Indigenisation Act. It says that the decision by the line ministry to allow Bakhresa to wholly acquire Blue Ribbon plus a 20 year holiday compliance with indigenisation statutes is unprecedented and an extreme compromise.
“Accordingly, we respectfully submit that this dispensation is more than a compromise and as such it will be a sad day for black empowerment movement if our black government give further dispensation to Bakhresa work permit for a foreigner to head this operation,” said Mr Chiwanza.
Zimbabwe has thousands of equally qualified and competent personnel to head BRI operations.
“Bakhresa is free to choose to employ either a black, white or Indian Zimbabwean. Much bigger foreign investments such as Zimplats, Mimosa, Telecom whose individual investments dwarfs the Bahkresa’s meager $12 million acquisition price, are all competently headed by local Zimbabweans and continue to score impressive growth,” the AAG president said.
The AAG says had it not been for the resolute and decisive stance by the Department of Immigration, Telecel Zimbabwe would have continued to be headed by an expatriate.
Telecel Zimbabwe is currently headed by Ms Angeline Vere. The vanguard of empowerment said it calls for the indigenous people to be at the leading front in the country’s economic activities.
“Our main worry, Hon Minister, is the issue of setting a precedent should Bakhresa’s appeal succeeds. A floodgate will be opened for foreigners to head and run companies that are or were previously headed by locals. We appeal to your good office to dismiss the application made by Bakhresa to you against the decision of the Principal Director of Immigration,” he said.
The AAG letter was copied to the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Patrick Zhuwao, Bakhresa group chief executive officer and to BRI judicial manager Mr Reggie Saruchera.
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