via Chinese raise questions over indigenisation – NewsDay Zimbabwe April 23, 2014 by Nunurai Jena
MASHONALAND West Provincial Affairs minister Faber Chidarikire has pledged free land to the Chinese in exchange for major investment in agriculture.
Chidarikire told a Chinese delegation led by deputy director-general of the Office of Foreign Affairs Li Jun that the province was keen to see the Asians investing in fertiliser production in Mashonaland West.
He said investment in fertiliser production would create employment and improve agricultural productivity in the province.
Li said the Chinese province of Hebei was prepared to cooperate with Mashonaland West to boost food security and ensure that the province’s agriculture potential was realised.
“We should endeavour to develop our communities using our natural resources to improve our living conditions,” said Li.
The delegation is on a visit to Mashonaland to study areas the Chinese can partner locals.
But the Chinese were clearly sceptical about the indigenisation policy. They wanted assurance that their investments would not be affected by the controversial indigenisation policy.
“For this new (special) economic zone, do we get more than 51%?” asked Yang Yuhong, one of the delegation members.
Chidarikire assured the delegation that investors interested in cotton production and hydro-power projects under the proposed Special Economic Zones would not be affected by the indigenisation policy.
“You are getting everything tax-free because you are coming to invest, this is a new thrust, economic zones are not bound by 51%-49%, you will get 100%” said Chidarikire.
The Chinese delegation said they were interested in local cotton because it was of high quality due to hand picking as machine compromised the quality in other countries.
Despite high demand for Zimbabwean cotton it has continued to attract low prices much to the disadvantage of cotton growers.
COMMENTS
Of Zanu pf and indigenisation and the chinese;HOIST BY THEIR OWN PETARD.
ZPF are clueless. Why not offer the land back to the Zimbabwean farmers who know how to farm and love their nation. But no instead ZPF in all its stupidity causes top grade farmers to go to Zambia instead and now that country’s agriculture is flourishing. And we buy back the grain grown from ex Zimbabwean farmers. Where do these guys get their so called degrees from. It is pathetic. I do not have the words to describe the uselessness of our leaders. Give it to the Chinese who care nothing for Zimbabwe’s wild life heritage or agricultural potential. Boswell wilkies circus came to town and never left!
NBS is right, we have good farmers who have the right to be in Zimbabwe and now we are looking at giving their land to the Chinese who have no right. Wake up GOZ, lets put the nasty past behind us and get back on track and give all white Zimbabweans their rights back. We do not want this black white divide and most of all we do not want the Chinese.
We are on the same page Moyokumusha. And in time there will be a lot of really good indigenous farmers too. If we are left alone to develop?
Are there any good ‘indigenous’ farmers in Zambia? Or Malawi? Or the DRC? Or anywhere in Africa? No – not many.
Hey so they want to give the land to the Chinese again what is happening, does Faber own any land in Zimbabwe, whose land is he parcelling to these yellow people?
The chinese have done a lot of damage on the whole of theContinent they have been given first preference to other communities who have been born on the continent e.g. caucasian asian and mixed race , they should just shut their mouths, they have DESTROYED ALOT OF THE WILDLIFE i.e. the elephants for their ivory, the rhino horn for their medicinal purposes
Most of the infrastructures they built have been A TOTAL DISASTER and they have taken most of the minerals on the continent
The other probability is that the chinese are lining the top notchs pockets!!
Zanu ,sellouts. The truth is coming out.
treason of the highest order .
They even take pride in selling out.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PREACHING ,THE LAND ISSUE IRREVERSIBLE.
The land is the economy hey? Now they cannot even give it away.
What! Are we going to grow rice now? There goes our Mielie Meal!
Favoring foreigners over citizens. Like giving tax rebates to returning residents – no breaks for the poor sods who live here pay tax here and deal with all the c–p. Return land to title holders and then work with CFU to find a workable scheme. Take a lot of courage but would be an Act of Statesmanship – for once. Anyone direct me to a good and very patient teacher of Cantonese?
Little dorrit I am voting for you as minister of common sense. please send some to ZPF. They are desperately in need
I believe that the mug and zanupf feel inferior to the whites in zims and no matter how much wealth they have accumulated they still feel inferior and maybe not so much towards the chinese for some strange reason.Little do they know once the chinese have a strong foothold in zims with influence I think they will control zims in 15 years time.
O Bob would yell at everytime he made a speech “the land is OURS” now he should yell the “LAND BELONGS TO THE CHINESE “!!!!
THE SON OF THE SOIL IS DOING WELL!
NBS you forget the ex farmers were seen as supporting the opposition and so were jambanjaed they can’t be allowed back.
There will be alot rice paddy fields!!!
There will be no dog, cat or reptile left as these are delicacies to the Chinese!! PAMBERI NE MA CHINA ICHO!!