ZANU PF MP Zhanda blasts Chinese investment

Posted by on Thursday, December 8, 2011 in ZANU PF, Zimbabwe politics | 2 comments


By Tererai Karimakwenda
08 December, 2011

The majority of Zimbabwe’s lucrative business contracts are being awarded to foreign companies, particularly the Chinese, Parliament was told on Tuesday during a report on the 2012 National Budget.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion, Paddy Zhanda, told legislators that $553 million worth of contracts had been awarded to foreign firms, most of them Chinese.

The ZANU PF legislator pointed to several large contracts, including the construction of a new Parliament complex in the Kopje area, that is said to be worth $134 million, plus construction of the Lupane State University at $10 million.

Zhanda said this was “unfair” at a time when Zimbabwe has very high unemployment, and called on Finance Minister Tendai Biti to “stop this bleeding”. But economist John Robertson said Zhanda’s comments were “unfair” and took a different view.

He agreed that in principle local firms should compete for tenders, but he said that most of the skilled workforce has left the country and ZANU PF policies have destroyed the country’s capacity to compete against foreign firms, who have more resources.

“I think Zhanda is being critical for a political reason. ZANU PF members of government are constantly trying to find ways of criticizing MDC members for whatever they have done or failed to do” Robertson said.

Back in 2008 some observers predicted that Mugabe would assign the Finance portfolio to the MDC, knowing it would be almost impossible to resuscitate the country’s economy. One observer wrote at the time: “Permitting ill-equipped opposition leaders to assume positions of responsibility is also a way of ensuring they will stumble and fall, especially when assigned near-impossible tasks.”

Robertson said the MDC has been given the most difficult portfolio within government and this gives ZANU PF ample opportunity to be critical. He also found a contradiction in Zhanda’s call for a reduction in foreign business contracts, because as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on Investment Promotion, he should be calling for more foreign investment in the country.

  • Aamm35

    NO work force left in the country MA CHINA rules only green bombers and soldiers left in ZIMBABWE what did zimbos excpect new colonial rulers ?

  • Ptzhanda

    It is most unfortunate that we have renowned economists like John Robertson who miss the point being made. The presentation in parliament was on behalf of a parliamentary portfolio committee composed of both MDC and ZPF members. It was not a criticism to the minister of finance but it was meant to assist the minister to deal will the liquidity challenges and high unemployment that this country has. It is also very unfortunate that John thinks that local companies have no capacity to execute these jobs. I am also surprised that John does not know the difference between awarding a contract to a foreigner and foreign direct investment and the impact thereof. Personally national issues such as the budget take precedence over politics