SAB Denies Funding Makoni

In an exclusive interview with CAJ News Agency on Tuesday afternoon, SAB Miller Head of Corporate and Communications, Mr. Nigel Fairbrass, who is based in London, said the claims by the ruling Zanu (PF) party were baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated.

“SABMiller would like to make it clear that it is not funding or supporting any political campaign in Zimbabwe and neither has this ever been under consideration,” said Fairbrass.

However, Fairbrass admitted that his company was invited for a fundraising dinner lunch hosted  by Citigroup  in  London, but was quick to point out that the invitation was turned down.

“SAB-Miller was invited to attend a fundraising lunch by CitiGroup in London. An invitation was declined. However, an SAB-Miller member of a staff decided to attend in an entirely personal capacity.

“We o w n 37 percent of Delta Corporation, which is Zimbabwe’s national brewer,” said Fairbrass.

In a snap survey in South African capital Pretoria and Johannesburg, the supposed exposure by Zimbabwean government that foreign firms and individuals were funding independent presidential hopeful Makoni underline the ruling ZANU (PF)’s double standards, social analysts have said.

Analysts said the ruling party should not harp on the reports since it also received foreign funding from international allies during its bid to unseat the racist regime and annex power.

This follows Tuesday reports in the government press that several British and South African companies are among international corporate that are fund-raising for Makoni’s presidential campaign in the harmonized March 29 elections, ‘confirming reports that his election bid was part of the Western regime change agenda.’

“Foreign funding of political parties in Zimbabwe is not new in Zimbabwe’s political landscape. Even ZANU (PF) itself did receive funds from its allies in the Far East, among other nations in its bid to win power from Ian Smith. MDC itself has been in the news for similar reasons. 

“Thus, harping about international companies fundraising for Makoni is neither here nor there,” said prominent South African based human rights lawyer and political activist, Gabriel Shumba.

The South African based legal expert said it would have been a problem if the so-called funders were to assist Makoni financially so as to pull the strings behind the scenes.

“The crucial thing is not whether foreign funds are involved or not. What is crucial is whether the funders would dictate and impose terms on Makoni that would be detrimental to the wishes of Zimbabweans. Only then would we say such a move is lamentable,” argued Shumba.

Zimbabweans go to the poll on March 29 with incumbent Robert Mugabe facing stiff competition from Makoni and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai for in the presidential race.The ageing leader has blamed the west for seeking to effect regime change and has used the funding of Zimbabwean political parties in by foreign financiers as giving truth to the claim.

Zimbabwe is languishing in abject poverty with the highest rate of inflation in the world hovering above 100 000 percent, unemployment at 85 percent, with severe economic challenges such as acute shortage of foreign currency, food, fuel, chronic diseases and HIV/AIDS respectively