Herald Reporters
Government officials and Members of Parliament have expressed mixed reactions over President Mugabe’s speech when he officially opened the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament on Tuesday.
A majority hailed the legislative agenda set by the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, while opposition legislators felt he had not touched on how Government intended to deal with corruption.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Christopher Mutsvangwa hailed the initiative to establish special economic zones, which he said were the most practical special purpose vehicle to concretely deliver on Zim-Asset.

“The highlight was the incoming Bill on special economic zones and they will offer tax breaks and a host of other investor incentives to attract world class business to Zimbabwe. He focused squarely on national economic resurgence with accent on enabling environment of business, focus on both foreign and domestic direct investment,” Mutsvangwa said.

“Equity participation will increasingly take centre stage as the engine of economic growth and more efforts will be directed to water, electricity and transport projects so as to provide enablers to national economic activity. The President took a lead in addressing matters related to the ‘easy of doing business’ in Zimbabwe which are the foundation of world class brand products made in Zimbabwe for the global market place,” he said.

Deputy Minister Mutsvangwa indicated that these initiatives would lead to employment creation for the well educated human resource base.

“Businessmen from major foreign direct investors such as USA, China, Japan, Germany and other European Union members, BRICS and emergent economies like Turkey, among others, are all eager to pour money into special economic zones and usher in an era of prosperity.

This will be a busy parliament whose new legislative agenda will forever change the economic face of Zimbabwe,” he said.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Mike Bimha said the concept of PPPs was the way to go because it was critical in mobilising and giving confidence to local and foreign investors.

“And there is a framework for Government and the private sector to come together for those projects we cannot conduct alone as Government. A framework for PPPs operation is a way of giving confidence that their investment would be protected,” he said.

MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga hailed the PPPs framework which she said was important for capital projects.

Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said Government has to reconsider the indigenisation policy which prompted some indigenous people to front for foreign investors.

“You cannot have a one-size-fits-all on indigenisation and for one to raise the 51 percent, people would be fronting for certain organisations and individuals. It has to be applied on certain sectors. It would be one of the issues we are going to talk about.

“If the President talks about that, it means something has been going on and corruption is not a myth. We are definitely going to talk about it in future parliamentary sessions,” she said.

Gokwe-Nembudziya MP and chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF), said President Mugabe hammered the nail on the head on indigenisation and corruption.

“First Lady’s stand against corrupt Vice President has been vindicated by President Mugabe who expressed displeasure with the conduct of unscrupulous people who front foreign investors especially the imperialists.

“Normally for someone to front they have to be politically connected which is what the First Lady has been saying all along, the issue of shares and 10 percent shareholding.

“Even former Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere complained that he failed to indigenise some companies in the Lowveld sugar plantations because of political interference. The same corrupt people castigated Professor Jonathan Moyo when he raised alarm over corrupt practices in the economy,” said Cde Wadyajena.

He said it was also important that President Mugabe implored companies to fulfil their pledges to the Community Share Ownership Trusts saying they were meant to benefit local communities.

Midlands province legislator Cde Melody Dziva (Zanu-PF), praised President Mugabe for coming up with a number of critical issues
“We are very happy that now all the ministries will have a youth desk. It shouldn’t only be at the ministries but other departments as well.

“He also spoke about housing, which affects all Zimbabweans and the need for unity for the sake of the development of the country. It is also important that there should be transparency and accountability from the executive to ordinary people for the good of the country,” she said.

MDC-T organising secretary and Kuwadzana East MP, Mr Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) said; “There are issues that we expected, that we thought were going to be addressed, for instance how the country is going to locate exit points to the political crisis and economic quagmire our country finds itself in.

“I didn’t get an answer which is convincing from the President on how the issue of electricity is going to be solved, how the issue of water is going to be solved, how the issue of our bad roads is going to be solved, how the issue of preparing for an agricultural season that is productive and successful is going to be dealt with. From a parliamentary perspective, I didn’t quite get that, so I would say I was left less than satisfied,” said Mr Chamisa.

Mr Kurauone Chihwayi, deputy spokesperson of MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube, said the President’s speech lacked clarity on what Government would do to attract foreign direct investment.

“We think the best way is to revisit indigenisation and empowerment laws to address the challenges around those policies.

“We are not against indigenisation but we feel a lot needs to be done to re-open the industries so that we create employment.

“There are, however, a number of positives from the speech like the fact that he has pledged that the Income Tax will be looked as well as Government’s commitment to vocational training centres, universities and e-learning,” he said.

Fifteen Bills to be tabled in Parliament were outlined by President Mugabe and these are: New Income Tax Bill, Debt Management Bill, Joint Venture Bill, Pension and Provident Amendment Bill, Amendment to the Labour Act, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, Insurance Act, Procurement Act.

Others are Tripartite Negotiating Forum Bill, Electronic Transactions Bill, Cybercrime Bill, Data Protection Bill, Public Health Bill, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Bill, Gwanda State University Bill, National Defence College Bill.

 

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