ZIMBABWE’S INDIGENISATION PROGRAMME AND GLOBAL CAPITALISM

Right now Margaret “aka TINA’ Thatcher is well and still kicking - the then British Prime Minister the time Zimbabwe was granted independence from colonial regime in 1980. What if a Chilcot inquiry sort is staged between her and the Zimbabwe’s Zanu Pf regime headed by President Robert Mugabe on what precisely lies behind the facilitation of the 1979 Lancaster House peace accord grossly focusing on the “Land Question Boob’ that was shelved? Shelved, while the resolution agreed upon was to maintain a willing buyer, willing seller approach on land redistribution for the first 10 post-independence years! We demand this as we are tired of capitalism’s buying time hoax pen and paper agreements at the expense of the starving masses. Infact, it is quite important for politicians to stop fooling the world while taking their side of the coin be it Zanu PF or the MDC factions while grinning at Zimbabwe’s sob story being orchestrated by alarming poverty. Why was this not implemented as agreed after the specified duration? People of Zimbabwe are currently quite tired of suffering from bygones of the past events that benefited the minority who now has the economy at their hands.

For the past decade and so, we have seen a sea of Zimbabwean citizenry suffering and perishing from the imposed Anglo-Saxon sanctions while the political bickering remains a complete quest for self-aggrandisation at the expense of the workers and the majority populace. Despite this calamity, the global gods composing the US and Britain continues raising eyebrows by declaring that sanctions imposed do not affect ordinary Zimbabweans but few targeted individuals and companies. To our amazement, how can a targeted click with the economy at their hands feel the impact of the so called sanctions? Can capitalism succeed in restricting them to live indulgently? This total absurdity is simply a grave crime against humanity as the pinch of these inhuman sanctions is heavily impacted by only the poor peasantry and the workers! The period 2007 – 2008 really left indelible marks to surviving souls’ memories while the likes of the former BSAP employee now a business magnate Bla Fidza Chiyangwa roamed the CBD roads on posh cars proud to be possessing vast residential and industrial stands in the country’s capital city – preaching being an undisputable local fat cat. On the other hand, a wazzock female n’anga caught the watchful eye of the Western media propaganda by tempting the Mugabe regime’s hierarchical crew to believe that diesel was oozing from a rock in Chinhoyi which is part of the Mashonaland West Province. The event did not spare the carnage of fatty bulls to mark the orgy celebration of what was marked the manna from the ancestral spirit! In Shona language, a n’anga is a spirit medium. Diesel oozing from a rock, OPEC is this realistic! And momentarily, on another occurrence, the local popular musician, Alick Macheso has opted to splash huge sums of cash in a marriage spree and the nation wonders how all those women trust his health status. Three wives fit for the Chikopokopo genre who claims to be part of the local fat cats! However, thanks to the rival leaders who were forced by the status quo to reach a consensus to form a Government of National Unity from February 2009 up to now. That was a panacea to the economic crisis; the shortage of basic commodities… despite capitalism is ticking well in Zimbabwe.

As the time frame for the Government of National Unity has lapsed, it appears elections may take place anytime. As part of its campaign trait, the Mugabe regime has embarked on what it calls the last Chimurenga of the indigenisation of the country’s economy under the leadership of President Mugabe in which the sons of the soil are destined to own a 51% stake for them to take full control of the means of production in Zimbabwe’s economy as said. In Shona, Chimurenga means war and I wonder why they mark this sort of state control of the economy the last Chimurenga. In capitalism wars over the control of resources and economy quakes the planet willy-willy in the system’s quest for profit. For this reason, it boggles anybody’s mind on why this sort of economic reform is called the last chimurenga. To champion this the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB) has been established through the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act (Chapter 14:33) of 2007 and commenced operation in 2010. The NIEEB’s sole mission is said to be focusing solely on implementing indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes through support of all economical sectors to ensure stability and security of the economic environment which according to the current Zimbabwe’s situation marred by the Anglo-Saxon imposed sanctions is difficult to induce. The appointed Board of Directors in Decembers 2009 includes 15 members including the Chief Executive Officer who would concurrently work with the Minister Kasukuwere on the government’s indigenization and economic empowerment strategies and to advise the ministry on appropriate measures for the implementation of the objectives of the Act. The indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes are said to have been designed to empower black Zimbabweans who were disadvantaged by unfair discrimination - on the grounds of his or her race or any descendant of such a person - prior to the country’s independence in April 1980. In praise of the so called Chimurenga, here is what the political scientist Professor Jonathan Moyo MP for Tsholothso who later re-joined Zanu Pf after going independent in 2008 March harmonized elections said:
“…As such, indigenization under the Last Chimurenga is not about empowering government structures under the State but about empowering the people of Zimbabwe the majority of whom are born-frees who shall be enabled to own majority equity across the national economy. This is for real and will be done technically, procedurally and legally to benefit the country’s youth whose time to be counted in revolutionary ways has come...” Sunday Mail, Mar 13-19, 2011

However, foreign owned companies murmur liquidation if this is implemented effectively and the Harare City Council has defied all the odds by awarding a tender to a South African Easihold company disregarding the so called national indigenization policy. Motorists are destined to fork out US$1/hour to park their vehicles in the bays of the city centre. USD1/hr while each day, 30 000 children dies as a result of extreme poverty; everyday while 50 000 people dies of hunger and preventable illnesses; yet 2, 8 billion people lives on less than US$1, 20 a day (2, 8 billion nearly half the world’s population); yet one in five survives in less than US65p per day…

Organisations like the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) and a youth empowerment group, Upfumi Kuvanhu are in immense opposition to the deal pointing out that it was done against the indigenisation law restricting local business people who have the rights to cherish the fruits gained from their hard fought independence. Here is what the Upfumi Kuvadiki spokesperson said:
“…The deal is not clearly explained. Why did they not look for a local company to manage the parking? We cannot sell our country because we lack the machines, it is not possible for us to sell our sovereignty to foreigners…”
But the Harare City Council Town Clerk, Dr Mahachi lashed out at this that the council has vowed the parking management deal is irreversible and was the best they could get in which the city gobbles 60% of the shares.
“..What we required when we signed the deal were the gadgets and the expertise and over a period of time all the shares and properties will belong to the city,” he said.

To resemble that capitalism doesn’t look back in sucking profits, Dr Mahachi simply said, “over a period of time.” And pathetically, the Easipark issued receipts bears a statement stating that all vehicles are parked at the parker’s risk and that the City of Harare, Easipark, their employees, agents & contractors are not liable for any loss or damage whether caused by their negligence or otherwise. What does this mean then? It’s downright ridiculous for motorists risking their pockets at $1/hr as well as their vehicles at the same time!

In a nut shell, all this ongoings in Zimbabwe and the world over is blatant state capitalism. Just as to the trafficking maverick Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s Nationalization cum Socialist Revolution of the 21st Century is the State Capitalism of the 20th Century all over again where government owns industry and workers remains being bossed in profit mongering. Truly services are not provided and commodities are not produced today to meet people’s needs. They are produced to make a profit and that is the cause of the problem we face. Under the profit system profits comes first, before providing basic services like health care, and transport, before improving conditions at work, and before protecting the environment. At the same time it encourages a get-rich-quick climate where competition to make money takes over from cooperation and community values. Everything is reduced to its cash value and people are judged, not for what they are but how much money they have. Having said this and taking note of how global imperialism championed by the Western jihad, continues dividing the people of Zimbabwe and the world over, the people of Zimbabwe should reconsider vying for a nonprofit production entity as an alternative to the current woes.

By B. Musemwa
A socialist residing in Zimbabwe and can be contacted via: msemwabm@yahoo.com