‘Nationalistic approach lacking at AAG’

counter-accusations of corruption, poor administration and power hunger.
Our senior reporter Peter Matambanadzo (PM) caught up with former president of AAG Keith Guzah (KG) to speak about this and other issues on black empowerment.
PM: Mr Guzah, the goings on in the AAG have been making headlines, accusations of theft, power struggles and general anarchy have been levelled against the Supa Mandiwanzira-led executive. What is your take on that?

KG: I agree that the AAG is in the news for the wrong reasons. Allow me to give a brief background of the AAG before I comment on the goings on in the AAG.
The need to have a forceful black economic empowerment agenda in the early 1990’s brought about the formation of the Affirmative Action Group, led by Phillip Chiyangwa and my late class mate and friend Peter Pamire.

PM: What was the reason for the establishment of this lobby group?
KG: The thrust then was to try and agitate for economic empowerment reform programmes as it was becoming impossible to access capital from banks to enable black-owned businesses to progress from being just small scale enterprises into the mainstream of the economy, a preserve then for the white minority.
The entire banking sector and the business community, in a bid to derail Government programmes of tilting the economic scale to the indigenous majority, denied us black owned businesspeople loans because of lack of collateral.

PM: How did this affect black-owned business operations?
KG: This adversely affected most black owned businesses, as we could not go beyond being just a small enterprise.
The AAG then lobbied Government for equal opportunities on all Government contracts and managed to bring about change that ushered in a new economic empowerment dispensation. Business growth began to be realised and more and more indigenous entrepreneurs emerged.

PM: What position did you hold then in the lobby group?
KG: I was AAG national vice president and spokesperson from the year 2000 to 2002 a difficult time for all who were in business as shortages of almost everything was the order of the day.
Agricultural, mining, and all industry literally ground to a halt due to the political landscape that had denigrated to levels beyond measure.
Fuel and foodstuffs were so scarce it was scary.

PM: What were your achievements as a lobby group then?
KG: Among the success stories of the AAG then was when we lobbied Government to relax their laws prohibiting the importation of fuel by ordinary citizens and within days, fuel began trickling in.
In 2003, I became the national president of the AAG and one of my vice presidents was Mutare businessman Esau Mupfumi.
This was a challenging time for us as we had to deal with empowerment issues on the political arena.
PM: What else did the lobby group achieve during your tenure in office?
KG: In 2006 while still president of the AAG, Government appointed me chairman of the National Investment Trust, a commercial enterprise in the then Ministry of Indeginisation and Empowerment, in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
In fact save for Minister (Saviour) Kasukuwere, I am the only past economic empowerment president to be appointed to head a Government institution that was established to alleviate the very same problems I agitated for.
In other words, yes, I was qualified because I knew what my organisation’s members wanted and was of course in a position to implement.
At NIT, we funded many small to medium businesses across Zimbabwe and I am proud of the board of directors that I worked with as they were of mixed skills and understood the economic arena then turned political that we were operating in.
At the end of my three terms at NIT, it was then transformed to the National Economic Empowerment Board now chaired by former Agriculture deputy minister David Chapfika.
So what I’m saying is that the AAG played a very central advisory role in the crafting of the draft Empowerment Bill that became law a few years ago.

PM: Let me take you back to AAG. How did you leave the lobby group?
KG: Two years ago after six years at the helm of AAG it was important that I step down and new minds come in and chart the way forward for us.
Remember economic empowerment is meant to do exactly that, economically empower the people.
It is a zeal that is within its proponents. It’s not a zeal that you can buy, its instruct nature.
I am pleased that the founding president has taken leadership of this very important empowerment vehicle because the news of accusations and counter accusations of theft, power squabbles and in house fighting now cloud the very purpose of the AAG’s existence.

PM: Can you elaborate?
What you are implying?
KG: It is very important at this juncture to note that when there are a number of people jostling to position themselves in the AAG simply for self aggrandisement without a national agenda, the use of schoolboy tactics of theft will be the order of the day.
In the absence of a nationalistic approach in advancing the cause that is synonymous with the AAG, it will be folly for us to expect any meaningful economic progression when mudslinging and finger pointing take precedence over constructive criticism.

PM: As former president what else do you have to say on the AAG squabbles?
KG: I strongly believe that at the end of the inquiry – that I understand is going to investigate the goings on at the AAG, the truth shall finally come out.
It is my hope and belief that this whole saga will evaporate and in the process, teach us a lesson or two not to make mistakes, ‘misplace zealousness for patriotism.’

PM: Thank you for your time. So will you consider giving your time to the values that founded the organisation now that it needs you most?

KG: The AAG is our baby and we will never let it die despite our tight schedules we will offer the requisite needs, help refocus and get it back on the agenda.