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Minister Nyoni

Herald Reporter
Progress at the Chisumbanje ethanol plant stalled during the tenure of the inclusive Government because of bickering between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations, the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni said on Monday.
Speaking after touring the Chisumbanje ethanol plant, Minister Nyoni said political bickering between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations had negatively impacted on the economy.

She said progress was only witnessed after Zanu-PF won last year’s harmonised elections.
“Politics among us was stalling projects. The progress of the Chisumbanje ethanol plant was hindered because of the MDC. For five years, we struggled with the opposition but now things are moving well,” she said.

Minister Nyoni likened the MDC to the biblical “Lucifer”.
“All the MDC could do was oppose the development of Chisumbanje in Parliament and even in Cabinet. In the Bible, when Lucifer opposed God he was forced down, thus the MDC was forced out of office by your votes,” she said.

She said Government was tired of companies donating to communities thereby creating a dependency syndrome.
“Without food production, you oppress the people. This is what the Ministry means by opening linkages where big companies should support the local community instead of giving them handouts,” she said.

Cde Nyoni said the corporate world should embrace both the Zim-Asset policy as well as the indigenisation legislation that the Government put in place.
“This effectively starts a process of industrialisation of our rural areas and hopefully stops the tide of rural to urban migration. This will improve the standard of life of our rural folk,” she said.

Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Chris Mushowe, said the setting up of the ethanol plant initially faced resistance, but progress was made later.
He said corporates such as Chisumbanje and diamond companies could only be secure if they embraced local communities.

“The secretary for administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa, the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Dr Joseph Made and I were accused of corruption with claims that we had received money from Billy (Rautenbach) to offer political support for the Chisumbanje ethanol plant but now there is progress,” Cde Mushowe said.

He warned diamond companies to fulfil their pledges to support the people and contribute to the Zimunya/Marange Community Share Ownership Trust before Government and the people took action.

“Companies should invest in the community, where they have moved and resettled. It should be a win-win situation to both parties,” said Mushowe.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority, (ARDA) board chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza, thanked President Mugabe for giving the opportunity to fight against sanctions in a practical way.

“Sometimes we tend to concentrate more on problems than solutions.
“Our own leader President Mugabe is a young man when it comes to the economy. He was recently in China fending for us Zimbabweans,” he said.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of SMEs Evelyn Ndlovu, National Assembly Member for Chipinge South Cde Enock Porusingazi, Manicaland Women’s League chairperson Cde Joyline Porusingazi were part of the tour.