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MDC must take responsibility for actions of the inclusive govt

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Is it just me, or do other people read the MDC’s recent press statement entitled “MDC condemns grab of Meikles assets”, with deep cynicism?

Peta Thornycroft, writing for IOL said:

Zimbabwe’s government has effectively expropriated the country’s largest public company, Kingdom Meikles Africa Ltd, under a much criticised so-called anti-corruption law.

Kingdom Meikles was “specified” last Friday in the Government Gazette under the “Prevention of Corruption Act”

This means the company, also listed in London, and all its subsidiaries cannot make any transactions without the approval of an investigator appointed by the government to examine allegations of corruption.

The group represents hundreds of indigenous investors and employs thousands of Zimbabweans.

The specification law was established by President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF administration, but the action against the Kingdom Meikles group was, surprisingly, endorsed by the Movement for Democratic Change’s co-minister of home affairs, Giles Mutsekwa.

The “specification” order in the Government Gazette was signed by the two ministers, Zanu-PF’s Kembo Mohadi and Mutsekwa.

The MDC’s press statement, in response to this action says:

The MDC condemns the inclusive government’s mafia-style grab of the assets of the Stock Exchange-listed Kingdom Meikles Limited group of companies.

We urge the inclusive government to be serious in creating an atmosphere of confidence, investment and goodwill. No serious investor will pour in their money in an economy where a government can grab their assets in the wink of an eye. Seizing people’s assets is inimical to investment, economic growth and development.

The co-Ministers of Home Affairs Hon Kembo Mohadi and Hon Giles Mutsekwa have more pressing issues to attend to than seizing the assets of private companies. Zimbabweans want to see a professional police force that enforces the rule of law without fear or favour. They want to see perpetrators of violence brought to book. They want to see a corrupt-free police force which professionally discharges its duties. These are the issues that must grab the attention of the ministers rather than the unbridled pursuit of private property.

The MDC is a party of excellence. We believe in delivering real change to the people of Zimbabwe. We believe in restoring people’s dignity, security, prosperity and basic freedoms. We want to give the nation hope for a new Zimbabwe and a new beginning.

The MDC make it sound like:
a) they’re not a major partner in the inclusive government
b) Giles Mutsekwa doesn’t hold a senior position – Secretary for Security & Intelligence – within their party

Come on! They are and he is.

One of the major problems with this inclusive government is a complete lack of transparency. What are we to make of politicians who earlier criticized the perks of the political elite, only to grab them for themselves at the first opportunity offered? Politicians who beat each other up at election time then go drinking and making business deals together in between elections.

The MDC can’t have it both ways. Either they are part of this stillborn beast called the inclusive government – and accept responsibility for its actions – or they are not, and they extricate themselves from it before it consumes them boots and all.

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