ED policies attract big guns

Levi Mukarati in Mvuma
Government’S business-friendly policies have restored confidence in Zimbabwe’s economy as seen in the surging number of investors flocking to the country, President Mnangagwa has said.

The President expressed satisfaction with the way Zimbabwe was now attracting high-value investors, among them Russian billionaire Mr Dmitry Mazepin, who was in the country last week to explore fertiliser manufacturing and mining investments.

President Mnangagwa was addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters here yesterday.

The President said: “We are now saying Zimbabwe is open for business, Zimbabwe is open for business. Patakagadzwa, ndakatanga kuinda kuSouth Africa pamusaka wekuti (President Jacob) Zuma ndiye current Chairman weSadc. Ndokwandakatanga kunoinda kunovaudza kuti kuZimbabwe kwaane zvimwe; tikafara nazvo.

“Asi, vakanga vakaungana kuDiaspora ikoko vakanga vakawanda; tikataura navo, vakatiivo Cde President, takuisa mari yedu pamwechete, taakuinvesta.

“So far, we have received US$400 million from our Diaspora kuSouth Africa yavaisa kurailways. Takabveko tikainda kuAngola kune maZimbabweans futi, tikataura navo, tikainda kuNamibia zvimwechetezvo.

“Tikabvapo tikainda kuMozambique kune maZimbabweans ikoko vakatitambira. Tikabva tikainda kuZambia tikatambirwa naVa(President Edgar) Lungu, tikataura zvakare namaZimbabweans ariikoko.”

He continued: “Tikabva takazoinda kuDavos, Switzerland, kune chando chekuti heke. Ikoko takawona vakuru vemari, vana samandingo vemari, maheads emabanks epasi pano makuru; vakanga variko iko kuDavos; maPresidents amunongonzwa.

“… the global companies, the global players vakange varipo. Unoona kuti ipapo hapataurwe mabillions, panotaurwa matrillions (of dollars), asi unoona kuti Zimbabwe yakange iripo.

“Tikasangana nemagroups akawanda tichivavimbisa kuti Zimbabwe is open for business. As a result of our interaction there, mahotera muHarare ikozvino izvi anongogara akangozara. Ndenge dzichiuya dzakangozara. Kune magroups and groups, kutaura kuno makangoona billionaire akabva kuRussia akanga ari muno, ari worth US$8 billion.

“Ikozvinoizvi kuna vekwa (Aliko) Dangote ndakavaona nezuro vakabva kuNigeria  . . . They want business and we are saying we are open for business. Asi, tava open for business tiri kuti pasi necorruption, pasi necorruption, pasi necorruption, pasi nembavha, nehuwori. We want our country to be a clean society; we want our country to be a clean society.”

President Mnangagwa reiterated that Zimbabwe’s 2018 harmonised elections would be held as constitutionally scheduled, emphasising that peace and unity should prevail.

“We are going to have elections this year around July. We want a peaceful election; we want a peaceful election. We want a united people, non-violence, non-violence. There is no reason for Zanu-PF to be violent. There is no reason for any other political party to be violent.

“There is no reason for any Zimbabwean to be violent. We are a peaceful people. Go and look at the transition in November last year where hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people came to Harare, marched in Harare peacefully and not even a single window of the shops was broken. It was peaceful.”

He went on: “The entire (African Union) said to me, when we were at the Summit, that they are proud as an African continent, they are proud that Zimbabwe showed that an African country can resolve its problems peacefully.

“Because we are going to have a peaceful election, a free election, a transparent election, why would we not allow our election to be observed? Generally, Sadc observes our elections, the AU observes our elections.

“This time around, I am opening (it to) the (European Union) and the United Nations to also come and observe our elections. There is nothing to hide.”

President Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF had tried and tested leadership, adding: “Asi chandinoda kuti tose tizive ndechekuti, muno mu- Zimbabwe, muno mu-     Zimbabwe, musangano une nhorowondo, musangano unerwendo. Ndinoziva vamwe vane mapurazi akawanda, saka kana varipo vari pano vane mapurazi akawanda kana vane mapurazi akakurisa kudarika size yemapurazi e region iyoyo, tirikuuya kugadzirisa kuti vanenge vasina mapurazi vagowanawo mapurazi, vagowanawo minda.

“But the issue which is most important and critical is that the land reform is irreversible. The Land Reform Programme is irreversible. Munowana vanyori vemapepa vachiidza kuti the new dispensation inoda kuti mapurazi adzokere kuvarungu. Kwete, tsvo, kwete, hazviitiki izvozvo. The land reform is irreversible.”

The President said Government would now issue 99-year bankable leases to land reform beneficiaries.

“SeHurumende, takagarapasi tikati aiiwa, ngatisumudzireyi agriculture yedu; ndokubva former President VaMugabe vati iwe Mnangagwa chimhanya ne  -agriculture, ndokuuya neCommand Agriculture.

“… tikati kumamisha uko toiita Presidential Inputs Scheme tikaitutsira mari. Kudhara taingoisa kuma US$14 million to US$15 million kuPresidential Inputs Scheme. Patakazoita Command Agriculture, takatutsira mari ikoko first round takapa vanhu US$30 million kubva paUS$14 million.

“This time around, taisa US$400 million kuPresidential Inputs Scheme kuti every household, 1,8 million dzirimunyika, kuti umwe neumwe awane mbeu, anowana fertiliser, anowana machemicals.”