Indigenisation now on home stretch

Those benefiting from the unequal economic status quo are now immediately trying to whip people’s emotions by demonising the rolling empowerment crusade.
Allegations against the programme range from the sublime to the ridiculous including labelling it “a personal project of Minister Kasukuwere”. It also has been labelled a “rampant grabbing of state resources”, “scorched earth policy of Zanu-PF”, “asset stripping exercise”, “sunset policy”, to “indigenisation of creches” and so forth but the common aim of the detractors is to discredit the programme by attacking its motivation and content.

Others, including formerly influential people in our society, engaged in unholy alliances with previous foes to create an opposing centre of power through which they attempted to rubbish the persons of key players in the indigenisation programme including Minister Kasukuwere and Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board chairman David Chapfika.

This panicking, desperation, naked lies, repeated and tired allegations are quite telling and reveal that it has dawned on the minds of the detractors that something path-breaking, transformative and irreversible is taking place at the heartland of this beautiful Zimbabwe. We would be worried if Minister Kasukuwere would be getting rave views from The Telegraph in London for a job well done, or getting awards from the Westminster Foundation or the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because it is at the core of their economic privilege.

Of course, we expect yelling, grumbling and threats of “peaceful marches against indigenisation” from the likes of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition because they live on, and feed on the suffering of ordinary Zimbabwean people. If there is sustainable economic empowerment for the majority of citizens there will be no crisis in Zimbabwe meaning there won’t be anymore bread and butter for the likes of Eleonor Sisulu, Dewa Mavhinga, McDonald Lewanika and other people of their ilk.

Despite the lies, imagined or real fears of the opponents of the indigenisation programme the message to them is loud and clear: “we have reached a point of no return as far as implementing the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme is concerned”.
In fact, the indigenisation of the most important and valuable companies in the land is a done deal and focus is now moving to economically empowering the common indigenous man and woman in a sustainable manner.

In our view the fundamental principle anchoring the empowerment programme is that indigenous Zimbabweans must benefit from the exploitation and utilisation of their natural resources.

Permanent sovereignty over natural resources and the resulting economic freedom should complement the political freedom that we currently enjoy. Thus, indigenisation is about eliminating ownership of wealth along racial lines and creating equal opportunities for all. This will facilitate the development of a shared economic growth trajectory, a shared distribution of resources, shared economic development and benefaction.

Taking a leaf from former South African President Thabo Mbeki’s book of wisdom, the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme is the bridge that will enable us to connect the “two nations. One which is predominately white, relatively prosperous, and has unlimited access to economic resources and the other that is predominantly black and poor, with the worst affected being women, the black rural population in general and the disabled and has no access to economic opportunity.”

As indicated by President Mbeki, this reality is underwritten by the perpetuation of racial, gender and spatial discrimination over a very long period of colonial and white minority domination. Hence, indigenisation is about breaking barriers created by the colonial legacy.
To achieve the sustainable emancipation of the masses the empowerment programme is premised on a triangle approach emphasising creating opportunities for indigenous people, business skills’ development and provision of funding for indigenous business ventures.

Thus, the programme is facilitating the creation of a sense of tapping opportunities for growth in all sectors of the economy and building a positive relationship between ownership and economic empowerment.

Through business skills training and funding the previously marginalised communities are being capacitated to participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy, adding value and creating new wealth.

Those who keep on insisting on the reversal of the policy are indeed wasting time, energy and resources barking on the run-away train that the indigenisation and empowerment programme has become.
So unless and until there is a drastic shift in the thinking and pronouncements of the party, the policy has to be implemented across board in all sectors of the economy as directed by the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act. As the owners and drivers of the policy we shall remain unshaken, unmoved and unintimidated by the ferocity of their salvos fired in anger in defence of a crumbling empire. In fact, our response will be to cast our nets deeper, enforcing total compliance in each and every nominated entity, empowering our people and championing their aspirations for an economically liberated Zimbabwe.