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Indigenisation should not be political rhetoric - President Tsvangirai
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
October 26, 2011

The government's position on indigenisation is to create wealth so that the people of Zimbabwe are able to benefit from the process in a non-partisan and apolitical manner, President Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe's Prime Minister has said.

Responding to questions from parliamentarians at the inaugural Prime Minister's Question Time in Parliament today, President Tsvangirai said the issue of indigenisation should not be based on political rhetoric, but should be based on one clear government policy.

"The issue of indigenisation is of national concern. We need to promote not damage investment in the country," President Tsvangirai said.

"The idea is not to share a small cake but to grow the cake that people are able to share. We need to create wealth through the creation of funds so that the people are able to benefit," he said.

The PM's Question Time gives the MPs an opportunity to question the Prime Minister on key government policies.

President Tsvangirai said one of key issues that the inclusive government was tackling was for the public media to desist from using hate speech when reporting.

He was responding to a question from Mutare Central MP and the MDC's chief whip in Parliament, Hon. Innocent Gonese on the government's position in terms of continued repression on freedom of expression and communication.

"One would be forgiven to think that there are two governments in Zimbabwe. There is need for multiple media space not a situation when newspapers want to go into radio broadcasting," said President Tsvangirai, referring to Zimpapers which has applied for radio licence.

"Without media space, you cannot speak on democracy," he said.

President Tsvangirai said the government was worried by lack of zeal shown by some board members in most parastatals, a situation which had led most of the government companies to operate below standard.

"The greatest weakness in the parastatals is that there is no sense of responsibility among the board members because they feel it belongs to the government and they don't care if they make a loss.

"These parastatals are a very serious drain to our resources," he said calling for heads to roll in non-performing parastatals like the Air Zimbabwe.

On developing the country's infrastructure especially major roads, President Tsvangirai said the government was encouraging investors to participate in the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) projects as the government had no sufficient resources to improve the country's infrastructure.

Turning to state sponsored political violence that is on the increase across the country ahead of the coming elections, he said the responsibility of curbing violence in the country was the duty of the police and implored the co-ministers of Home Affairs to see that this was done.

"The three principals in the inclusive government have made commitments that there should be no violence in the country. Those who commit violence should be arrested," he said adding that the national leaders for all the three political parties in the inclusive government were going to hold a meeting on how best they could curb political violence in the country.

He said the government's position on the situation in Libya was that it stood by the Africa Union decision that the people of Libya should have a choice to choose their leaders after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

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