Economic empowerment not a political gimmick

Addressing delegates attending the Zimbabwe Local Government Association’s second biennial annual conference that was being held at Elephant Hills Resort Hotel in Victoria Falls on Saturday, President Mugabe said the indigenisation and economic empowerment of the people was a very serious matter. He added that it would take a fool to even suggest that the exercise was a political gimmick.
His comment was in response to Caledonia Mining Corporation chief executive officer, Mr Stefan Hayden who said his company did not intend to finalise the handing over of some of its shares to locals until after the elections.

Caledonia Mining Corporation operates Blanket Mine in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province.
Mr Hayden was quoted in the media saying that the policy was “a political football game at the moment”.
He scoffed at Government’s economic empowerment drive, branding indigenisation regulations a political gimmick to lure votes for Zanu-PF.

“Hanzi zvirikuitirwa maelections, (they say it is being done for elections) . . . this is not an idiotic empowerment, it is empowerment of our people.
“We now have the land and now we want the economy and this has nothing to do with elections. He must be a fool whoever the manager is (at Caledonia Mining Corporation). We are not playing with the minds of our people, hazvizi zvemahumbwe izvi,” said President Mugabe.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in- Chief of the Defence Forces said it was high time that Zimbabweans were in a position to manage their our own resources because they had the requisite education and skills.

“We sent our children to school; we have economists, accountants, meaning that we can run our country. All we need is equipment, all we need is capital. We only have to look for partners but not as majority shareholders, no . . . they have to play a subordinate role, it is important, absolutely important.”

The conference was attended by Mayors, Councillors, Governors and Resident Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
It was running under the theme: “Local authorities recapitalisation — the key to economic recovery and enhanced service delivery.”