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This comes after the director in the ministry Mr Michael Fungati told MPs attending a workshop in Vumba last week that they had come up with a legal instrument addressing shortcomings that had been noted in the implementation of the Indigenisation policy.
Mr Fungate told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy that the regulations were now before the Attorney General’s office for his consideration.
Chief mining commissioner in the Ministry of Mines and Energy Development, Mr Fredson Mabhena had asked Mr Fungate if they had consulted the ministry before they sent the statutory instrument to the Attorney General’s office.
Chairperson of the portfolio committee Cde Edward Chindori Chininga said it was critical that ministries and Government departments consult each other on pertinent policies.
“It does not help to say the statutory instrument is with the AG’s office and that we are coming to the Ministry of Mines to consult when we have already submitted the statutory instrument to the AG,” said Cde Chininga.
He said President Mugabe had directed the ministry to use mineral resources as equity in acquiring stake in mining companies but it was using a different approach.
“There seems to be a different approach between what the President said and what the ministry is doing,” said Cde Chininga.
“The President said we will use our resources as equity yet the ministry is using the vendor financing system.”
The Indigenisation policy, Cde Chininga said, had failed in Zambia because it was not properly implemented.
Uzumba MP Cde Simba Mudarikwa said it was not lawful to regard institutions such as ZMDC, Government and IDC as being previously disadvantaged in interpreting the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.
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Mr Fungate had told MPs that they had finished work on the new statutory instrument addressing the shortcomings that had been noted in the current legal provision.
He had indicated that the proposed regulations were before the AG’s office.
Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association representative Mr Mutuso Dhliwayo said there was need for the Government to include civil society in environmental policy formulation.
The Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy Development was attending a two-day workshop on capacity building on the diamond sector in Vumba last week.
Online Reporter