'Drop indigenization, ZimAsset'

Published: 29 November 2017

Former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube has taken a dig at some of the policies, which were implemented under former president Robert Mugabe's government, describing them as impractical.

Dube, who was expelled from his ministry by Mugabe due to his alleged links with then vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, yesterday told the Southern News that the new government should do away with such impractical polices as indigenisation and ZimAsset.

"It's now time for the new government to boost the economy which for years has gone down," Dube said.

"We have a political and economic problem in the country, unfortunately we can't separate the two. They go hand in hand just like legs of men, if the other does not work, then other one also does not work properly," he said.

However, to successfully push for a quick economic recovery, Dube said, there was need for crafting policies that are pro development.

There is need to implement policies that can promote sound economic development and do away with policies that are meaningless. For example, the indigenisation policy and this thing they called ZimAsset, they have never been proven anywhere in the world that they work.

"They were just experimenting and you don't expect to build the economy through experiments. We need proven policies," Dube said.

Dube added that he had hope and trust that Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa, will rise from ashes.

"As a new president, he is now a new commander in the ruling party and government, meaning he now has all the muscles to steer the ship to success.

"Under Mugabe, he was limited in his operations since he has his own way of doing things. I can assure you he will do the best," he said.

During his inauguration speech as the second executive president of Zimbabwe in Harare last Friday, Mnangagwa said his administration's economic recovery plan would be based on investment.

"Our economic policy will be predicated on our agriculture, command which is the mainstay and creating conditions for an investment-led economic recovery that puts a premium on job, job creation," he said.

Asked about how he wishes to see Mnangagwa carry the nation forward on the governance front, Dube said all he expected was development that will unite Zimbabweans.

"I don't mind having a transitional government, anything that unites the people of Zimbabwe, I fully support."

The Makokoba legislator, famed for challenging the once Zimbabwe's strongman, Mugabe to name a successor said he felt Mugabe was a victim of his wife, Grace.

"Mugabe overstayed his welcome and unfortunately he ended up being controlled by his wife. His wife ruined that old man. As soon as he married that young wife, that spearheaded his downfall."
- Daily News

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