Zimbabwe in the dark about Marange Chinese partnership

via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Zimbabwe in the dark about Marange Chinese partnership 23 March 2014

Zimbabwe could be in the dark about the goings on in a diamond mining partnership with China in Marange Diamond Fields following revelation that all documents were written in Chinese.

This was revealed by President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba in his weekly Nathaniel Manheru column.

“Another anecdote is appropriate, one nearer the bone. Not too long ago, I had a discussion with Minister Walter Chidhakwa, the young Minister of Mines. He gave me a dolorous tale on the goings-on in the mining sector, in its diamond sub-sector specifically,” Charamba wrote.

“Recently he went on a tour of the diamond fields, a fact-finding tour. He visited the first diamond company, the second, the third, all the time getting some coherent story, however suspicious.

“When it came to the fourth mine – a joint venture with the Chinese – he met the chief there: a man wearing my complexion, wielding a surname that is decidedly Zimbabwean.”

Charamba said Chidakwa asked the the man: “So, what is happening here”, asked the Minister, tall ears ready. “A hmm, a hmmm I don’t know, Cde Minister.”

“But you are our representative in the joint venture?” “Ahmmm, yes Minister, but the Chinese brought in their own people.” “Yes, they were minding their own interests, you were minding ours?” “Yes Sir, but all the papers on the mining activity are in Chinese”, added the Blackman, penitentially.

“Another laughter, but this time pregnant with nervousness, so full of shame and a shared sense of national mortification, national tragedy. That’s sample us,”Charamba said.