via Stop this madness – DailyNews Live 16 September 2014
HARARE – In yesterday’s edition, we reported on how $50 million worth of diamond cash — belonging to a consortium of Chiadzwa miners — was at risk of seizure after Amari Platinum Holdings Limited (Amari) had won a temporary order against President Robert Mugabe’s government.
At issue is how the Harare administration unilaterally chose to cancel the investment group’s proposed platinum venture with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) in 2010.
While the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) might have had vested interests and procedure in freezing the “auction windfall” another issue, the manner in which our government has been handling capital issues and specifically respect for property rights leaves a lot to be desired.
From the land reform debacle to African Consolidated Resources and the Zimbabwe Platinum Mines’ loss of its Marange gem fields, and 28 000-hectare platinum concession in Chegutu, respectively, these wanton actions have done nothing, but dampen investment inflows and at a time foreign direct investments have dwindled to a paltry $400 million.
But, does this barbarism surprise us given that trashing the rule of law is successive Mugabe governments’ speciality?
Yes, the very same government of Uncle Bob has been crying wolf about “sanctions” and yet it is escalating its attacks on the sanctity of bilateral agreements.
And the tragedy of it all is that even private entities in the name of Anjin, Diamond Mining Corporation and Mbada, just to name a few, are caught up in the mess of this bungling administration’s unending chaos.
In the meantime, private investors in joint ventures with the ZMDC have to meet their fixed costs in the form of salaries and other operational issues.
Yes, $50 million may look like a tiny sum of money, but it is the principle of how our government has been choosing to treat capital that leaves one wondering whether it is really serious about economic recovery.
As warned in the Monday headline that Zimbabwe risks losing millions more of the much-needed cash to bailiffs and other international players — since many of its debts have executable judgments — one also wonders what this ICA/Amari episode means about policy-making in this benighted economy.
While it will be quite easy for some Zanu PF charlatans to blame political novices like Walter Chidhakwa – who is incidentally Mugabe’s nephew and — for “trading key resources in hostile jurisdictions”, we say the whole government must shape up in its treatment of capital — else it can’t keep blaming external forces for our woes.
As it is, deposed white commercial farmers and other creditors are lying in wait, and that pariah tag will be with us for long!
COMMENTS
With ZPF, there is no justice, there is no rule of law, there is no future. Even simple common senses is missing. Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 sets out principles for rulers. Our head honcho is so far from this it isn’t even funny. No wonder there is no FDI. Chinamasa will have to do a lot more singing for his supper. The economy is imploding and it is a judgment from God. Plain and simple.
So true! You reap what you sow.
FDI into Mozambique last 12 months = $7.1 billion.
FDI into Zimbabwe last 12 months = $ 400 million.
When Mozambique starts looking better than Zim as a Business destination …… then you know we have a serious problem !!!
Sad hey! Are these guys blind, deaf, dumb or what. We have commercial farmers that have been kicked out farming for a better Zambia. We have skilled and professional people all over the world feeding into someone else’s economy. ZPF are bad for business!
I say again that trying to use reason to interpret the actions of these ZANU nuts is futile.
I’ve ran out of words… Robert is an idiot!
You all have to look at this –
Zimbabwe is 176 out of 178
in the entire WORLD when it
comes to Global Economic Freedom.
Only Cuba and North Korea are worse.
This is in the last, “Repressed” category.
http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking
This is the most shameful thing anyone
can say about our, once, amazing Country.
“Cry, My Beloved, Cry”.
Yes yes yes…. its happening right now to Argentina refusing to repay some debt and contractual obligations !!!
Scumrades wharevets in Pasi mode
We all are war vets now . Fighting to stay alive in Zimbabwe.
Nyoni wandibaya nekuseka. Kkkkkkkk
If you seriously expect Zimbabwe to honour its international
obligations when it has been forced into survival mode by sanctions and you expect FDI inflows to be significant when the unholy coalition has our economy targeted, then you probable believe Libyan, Iraqis and Afghans are better off since “they got liberated”. You also probable believe Egypt is a democracy and Ukraine has a ligitimate government. I believe on the other hand, the colour of you grey matter is brown.
Sir, you need to get out in the world and stop reading about conspiracy theories. It’s muddled your thinking, and taken away your ability to think for yourself. Ask yourself when was the last time you had an original thought that was not previously planted in your brain by the media? Try going for a week without reading the news and see what a difference it makes in your outlook. Then come back here and share your new revelations with us once you’ve found yourself!
I wouldn’t use Patrick as my lawyer if he were in practice. he would blame everything on sanctions????
NBS if your case was against me I would just Bribe him.
Farai stop drinking your bathwater it’s bad for you.
I think he wees in the bath
Until when farai are we going to blame others for our poor planning cuba has been under sanctions for almost a century but they are doing fine and they are helping control ebola now. Please like someone said dont be brainwashed
OUR MAJOR CHALLEGES INCLUDE THE RULE OF LAW AND OPAQUENESS WHEN IT COMES TO THE COUNTRY’S INVESEMENTS. EVEN THE SO CALLED RUSSIAN AND CHINESE DEALS. NOONE KNOWS WHETHER THEY ARE SIGNED BY THE STATE, INDIVIDUALS OR A POLITICA PARY
People like Farai have a serious case of tunnel vision. What have Libyan, Iraqis and Afghans got to do with Zanu pf’s incompetence. They have live beyond their means and stolen the country’s wealth. They expect the world to hand over everything to them on a plate. What happened in Egypt and those other countries does not change the fact that we have an economy that is on it’s knees. Why does Zimbabwe have to have all these so called sanctions lifted before the economy can improve? How did Ian Smith manage to make the country rich during Sanctions then? He did not have Diamonds. Zimbabwe is supposed to be a rich country. We should never be worry about where our next consignment of maize is coming from.I don’t think Farai has any matter at all, grey or brown. I would be embarrassed to even try to compare what these clowns have done in the past 34 years to anything else in the world.
it is people like Farai that represent the calibre of people which Zimbabwe has in abundance. Stupid, arrogant, self enriching, smug, most prob apathetic, and blame anyone else but self. One doesnt have to venture far in Zim to hear the praises of incompetence being sung.
I think that Mugabe to some people is a cult. No matter what he does wrong they will say it is right. That is Farai for you. The GBU is right. What has any of this got to do with the countries he mentioned. If Mugabe says a table is a chair you will get these people saying that is so. When he changes back so do they. That is why he is so arrogant. He took over a house with a good foundation,ripped the foundation apart and now tries to rebuild without a foundation. As long as he is at the helm we will go nowhere.
Doctor do little.
That is the tragedy of Africa. Most Africans are like that – morality counts for nothing on this continent. I don’t know whether it has anything to do with our psychological make up or its a cultural thing or maybe its evolution. Most probably we are still evolving as human beings and are yet to reach the evolved state of the whiteman, who knows?
to Phunyukabemphethe.. I think that your note has a lot of merit apart from the comparison to the whiteman. Would you not say that rather one would hope that the African continent and her people develop their own values which engender the principles of respect, morality and holding the so called leaders to account without rioting, breaking, destroying or otherwise?
@I am not the one” I would hasten to say that one would hope that in these times where the world is a global village we would talk about Human values. Some of the African continents people are Arab, black, of Asian extinction and white. The world has come a long way as we now have Black Englishmen so we also have White Africans who are the African Continents people.Phunyukabemphethe is just trying to get people to examine themselves I would presume hence his statement “Most probably” I being of Ndebele back round can never ever say that how I was brought up lacks any of the fundamental requirements of respect and morality. In fact I have been told the from people of other nationalities that I have associated with that it is rare to see the type of respect my children and myself have for other people. I answer them that this is the Ndebele way. At the same time I will go on to say it is the Zimbabwean way. The diminishing of values and lack of respect has been brought about by our so called leaders. As far as I am concerned this attitude was imported by these people and is not a true reflection of the African way. When I talk about the African way I talk about black, white, mixed race and Asian whom if you are out of Africa stand out, not because of their colour, but because they are African.
I am not the one
My comparison with the Western whiteman of today, not of yesterday is very, very valid. I say this because I know of no Western, predominantly white country with citizens who are so enamoured with one leader. I have never heard any white citizens comparing their Presidents to Jesus Christ. They don’t even hesitate to chuck them out, should they stray. Even their politics is rooted in democratic values, even if they may not like the views of their opponents. Do you think something like the referendum that is taking place in Scotland today is possible in much of Africa, wena? The first thing that happens is that you will be shouted down and told Dzokera”KwaZulu Natal!!”Civilised debates are not possible in Africa – its always shouting, insults, diversionary tactics, labelling, machetes and spears!
Something the rest of the world learned a long time ago, ‘Nothing is for free’ I am told one of the worlds largest commodity traders are closing shop in Zimbabwe because the corruption is unbearable, even more so that Nigeria, now that show’s just how bad it is!!
We tend to circumvent the real problem which is Mugabe, his Zpf party and the madness exuding in Zpf government. Remove the problem first and Zimbabwe will return to its former glory. Next general elections are in 2018, prepare to shove out the lot. Enough is enough.
Tangoona
No, the problem is not Mugabe. Mugabe is just the symptom. The problem is Gukurahundi Shona tribal politics. This is the elephant in the room.
Look at it this way; had there been no Shona tribal politics since the 1980s, do you think Mugabe would have lasted this long?
You can not deny that it is Shona Nationalism (Nehanda & Kaguvi)that Gukurahundi ZANU PF introduced in Zim politics that popularised Mugabe against his main opponent Joshua Nkomo of PF ZAPU.
Since then, this is what has defined Zim politics to this day. This is why many Shonas are quick to silence Matebeleland people over any issue, by raising the issue of their origins from KwaZulu Natal. This is why many Shonas love to claim that Zimbabwe is a Shona country. So Mugabe is not the problem, the problem is ZANU PF tribal politics which now defines many Shona people’s political outlook in Zimbabwe.
Without tribal politics, its easy to cross the Rubicon (like the Mthwakazi/Matebeleland people have done)and vote for whoever you believe can be the best leader for Zim based on policies and leadership qualities. Unfortunately, this still remains a barrier among the majority of voters who happen to be Shona. The ball is in your court if you want to change the status quo, otherwise Mugabe is here to stay. And even after he is gone, ZANU PF will continue with the same policies under another Shona leader, of course.
Matebeleland will just piggyback (read: Obert Mpofu and his ilk)on anyone who puts food on their tables since they know that with Shona tribalism continuing, the stakes remain staked against them!!