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Chiefs and ZUPA should lead community trusts
Zimbabwe Unemployed People's Association (ZUPA)
February 27, 2012

In 2007, a balanced MDC and ZANU PF House of Parliament in Zimbabwe passed the Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill that later became law. AT the time, the empowerment programme appeared to have support of all parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Indeed, all the parties have continued to support it although differing on how it should be implemented.

ZUPA has in the past raised concerns that the politicisation of Zimbabwe's indigenisation programme made it appear as if one party was growing cold feet on the programme and another appeared to proceed in a manner that has been perceived by some investors as punishment.

ZUPA represents the interests of the millions of Zimbabweans who need jobs and a better livelihood. For this to happen, we need to promote an environment that will attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs. We therefore believe that ways of ensuring a genuine, transparent and non-partisan process is crucial.

A few weeks ago, ZUPA called for the depoliticisation of the indigenisation programme. We asked politicians to sing from the same hymn sheet on the issues in a way that will give confidence to investors.

ZUPA followed with interest, comments by Prime Minister Tsvangirai when he observed the need for the communities of Manicaland to be given access to shares in the diamond mines.

We remain convinced that the programme can only be seen to have delivered in the interest of Zimbabwe if the ordinary citizens at grassroots have access to the shares in corporations in their areas through community trusts as is the case with First Nations in Canada and BEE in South Africa. For this to happen, the leadership of the community trust must be non-political but retain credibility, transparency and easy identity.

That is why as ZUPA, we have recommended to the Government of Zimbabwe that all ZUPA ward councils representing the entire community in a chiefdom form community trusts that will be lead by the chiefs representing the wards covered. Our hope is that all parties in Government and those outside can establish resonance on the empowerment issue. The millions of unemployed and poor Zimbabweans whose interests ZUPA represents need support in accessing shares in a way that is inclusive but still maintaining and safeguarding the interests of investors.

As representatives of the majority of Zimbabweans that have suffered for a long time, we have learnt that the best way to achieve social or economic justice for poor members, is to find ways of achieving the best out of what we are given. We accept the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act is now law in Zimbabwe. We therefore put our energies to understanding how it can fairly benefit the millions of Zimbabweans we represent.

ZUPA has consistently taken the position that a 10 percent share ownership in corporations is reasonable for local communities. We are aware that this is less than most local communities get in other countries like South Africa, but we also believe in being realistic. We understand the many competing interests in the Empowerment programme in Zimbabwe and the views of stakeholders.

The Government has agreed that 10 percent of the shares should be given to community trusts. We have consulted grassroots structures on the following: What should constitute the beneficiary community? Who should lead the resultant trust?

The feedback ZUPA got from the grassroots was that it was best for perpetuity for community trusts to be formed around chiefdoms lead by the chief as the chair of the board of trustees. This means every chief in Zimbabwe is being asked to chair a community trust whose members are citizens within their chiefdom.

An up to date database of the citizens within the chiefdom will be needed and will be managed by the trust secretariat.

The members of the community will participate in the decisions on how the dividend will be used in the community through the ZUPA ward council structures.

The chiefs were identified on account of their expected traditional leadership and assumed political neutrality. Historically, the chiefs have headed tribal trust lands that were held in trust for the ordinary citizens.

The trust leadership would also provide a consistent approach that is not influenced by the volatile changes in political leadership. ZUPA believes that it is paramount that politics in not put at the centre of the programme.

ZUPA is now in the process of engaging chiefs and communities and invites other Zimbabweans outside our circles to come and participate in this inclusive empowerment programme. We encourage corporations to consider a 10 percent community trust share ownership as lead by a local chief within their proposals.

Back in 2007 when the MDC and ZANU-PF parliament put the bill through, we would have wanted to public and stakeholder consultation. But now that the law is in place, we further encourage the international community and investors to be sympathetic to our efforts of ensuring that it is the community that benefits from the programme to alleviate poverty and create wealth for future generations.

We believe that chief based community trusts will be transparent, easier to monitor and minimise corruption and exclusion. Every Zimbabwe can identify their chiefdom of origin.

ZUPA sees the scheme as a viable one if dependency on aid will be stopped. We see this being a way of resourcing services such as education and healthcare for local communities. Above all, we see this as a way through which the ordinary citizens can have access to economic means.

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