Tsvangirai ‘happy’ with diamond mining activities

Posted by on Friday, February 17, 2012 in Diamonds, Morgan Tsvangirai | 4 comments

Chiadzwa diamonds

By Alex Bell
17 February 2012

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is said to be ‘happy’ with mining operations at the controversial Chiadzwa diamond fields, after his first tour of the area on Thursday.

The Premier was accompanied by Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Mines Minister Obert Mpofu for the tour, which included a visit to the key mining firms there; Anjin, the Diamond Mining Corporation (DMC), Mbada and Marange Resources.

Tsvangirai was last year barred from touring the site, which remains a controversial centre of alleged human rights abuses and rampant diamond smuggling. These concerns led to Zimbabwe being barred from trade for more than two years, a sanction that has since been lifted.

The Prime Minister said on Thursday that the government desperately needs revenue from diamond sales, saying “we regard diamond revenue as a major contributor to the fiscus.”

“We hope that as we appreciate the operations, government is able to formulate policies that will contribute largely to the fiscus,” Tsvangirai said, adding that he was satisfied with the current operations.

Tsvangirai meanwhile made no mention of this week’s report by international rights group Global Witness, which warned that diamond cash could be used by ZANU PF for a campaign of violence. This is despite Tsvangirai’s own party members set to bear the brunt of this campaign ahead of fresh elections.

The report details how top military and police officials are listed as directors of Anjin, while the Mbada firm has an ‘opaque’ ownership structure under the leadership of a Mugabe loyalist, Robert Mhlanga.

Global Witness raised concern that this partisan influence, as well as complete lack of transparency in the revenues from diamond sales, could be shoring up ZANU PF’s efforts to remain in political power. The group said “if the next election is accompanied by violence there’s a real risk that any bloodshed will be funded by diamond revenues.”

  • Chimbi Manwa

    Come on Morgan.So you thought you could see Zanu PF fellows stealing diamonds in your presence? A simple visit cannot reveal the murky operations going on at Chiadzwa. You are dealing with smooth criminals, Morgan. Don’t embarrass your supporters and sympathisers by making silly statements, Tsvangirai.

  • Jons

    You are right Chimbi. I am beginning to doubt Tsvangison. Its seems he is content with being the powerless prime minister. He is now part of the game-akudyawo navo saka akutaura semumwe wavo. I can tell you that MDC activist died for nothing in the 2008 elections. If MDC has an hope of winning they should get rid of Tsvangison. People are being duped. I am a supporter of MDC but I am not seeing us moving forward with Tsvangs. He shouldn’t have been given another term to serve as the Mdc leader according to the MDC constitution. Isn’t that we all complaining about Mugabe staying in power too long ndo same order iyoyo.

    • http://twitter.com/WMukori Wilbert Mukori

      Thanks Jons and Chimbi.

      Tsvangirai is well aware that Mugabe and Zanu PF are using the money from the sell of Chiadzwa diamonds for their selfish gain including funding political violence. Mugabe has stubbornly refused to give up control of the Chiadzwa and Marange diamonds and he knew that Tsvangirai would relent soon enough and let the tyrant have his way. And that is exactly what has happened. This is not the first time Tsvangirai has done this; Mugabe refused to give up his demands to have the lion’s share of the political power resulting in current power sharing arrangement in which Mugabe is the boss and Tsvangirai is the office messenger!

      Jons, you are right; Zimbabwe will never get out of this political and economic mess with individuals like Tsvangirai leading the charge for change, democracy and justice!

  • Chimbido Warvet

    Does this guy know what a diamond looks like? He could well have been shown something else. It will be interesting to read the report of his findings. And the Prime Minister should make public the report of his findings for us to be happy. By mere telling us that he was ‘happy with diamond mining activities’ is simply not enough for those with an inquisitive mind. Diamond mining is a profession that can only be accurately commented upon by those with the qualification in this trade. It is like a politician commenting about what is happening on planet Jupiter when he is not equipped with skills to deal with the subject matter. Only the late Kim il Sung of North Korea could do that, because he was a master of everything on this planet.
    With all the reports we read about diamond smuggling at this mine, it is mind boggling that the Prime Minister found it necessary to tell the nation that the mining activities at this mine were adequate to requirements. Where is the evidence, Mr Prime Minister?