Convert the cows to cash, AU tells Zim

Source: Convert the cows to cash, AU tells Zim – DailyNews Live

Farayi Machamire      20 May 2017

HARARE – The  African Union (AU) has asked government to auction the 300
herd of cattle donated by President Robert Mugabe and give the regional
bloc cash instead.

In donating the cattle, Mugabe had envisaged they would “grow and
reproduce”, and help the Union in sustaining itself.

Instead, Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said yesterday
the continental body demanded that the gift be converted into cash.

Mugabe, who was AU chairperson at the time of donation, felt it would be
an innovative way to fund the bloc’s operations and help it to move away
from relying on donor funds.

“As you all know we have been holding auctions of cattle around the
country at the request of the AU Foundation…instead of allowing them to
grow and reproduce they decided they should be auctioned,” Mumbengegwi
said.

“We invited the AU Foundation to come and witness the auction. Last week,
their chief operating officer was here to witness some of the auctions
held in Gweru, more auctions are going to be held in Masvingo, in
Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South.”

Mumbengengwi yesterday gave a brief background of the thinking behind
Mugabe’s 300-herd of cattle pledge, made in 2015 in Johannesburg during
the launch of the AU Foundation.

“It was at this occasion where he pledged 300 herd of cattle towards the
financing of this foundation and I believe this was one of the first
innovative offers to the foundation to kick start it so that it leads to a
situation where the foundation becomes self-sufficient,” he said.

But the continental union preferred cash.

“It just struck me that no one had ever thought of a gift by way of cattle
to the AU and since we are cattle people, why shouldn’t we also make a
gift to the AU in cattle form?” Mugabe told the State media then.

Mumbengegwi said “land reform program beneficiaries immediately advised
the president that they would assist in raising the promised cattle,”

“This was not to say the president could not have done it himself, but
this was an appreciation by our people as beneficiaries of a very
important land programme,” he added.