Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai An empowerment programme should not discriminate against other Zimbabweans, said Tsvangirai — in a clear repudiation of the controversial empowerment policies of President Robert Mugabe that critics say have been mainly fuelled by a desire to catch votes during elections.
Tsvangirai said empowerment or indigenisation should also aim to attract investment while helping eradicate poverty.
The term indegenisation tends to raise emotions when it is used merely as a political gimmick to win votes, Tsvangirai said, while officially opening the Chamber of Mines annual general meeting in Harare last Friday.
He added: The concept of indegenisation should be one of ensuring that the ordinary Zimbabweans benefit from the countrys mineral endowment and participate at all levels in the business of mining and mineral exploration.
No right thinking Zimbabwean, or any person in the world, can see fault in such an approach if it is implemented fairly, transparently and in line with accepted international norms.
The manner in which this approach and objective are realized has to, as a matter of principle, lead to growth of the economy and uplifting of the standards of living of our people. There should be no preferred class or people in adopting this approach and realizing this objective.
Several foreign-owned companies have packed their bags in the past nine years, galled by Mugabes controversial and mostly chaotic empowerment policies, including the seizure of white-owned farms to resettle blacks, which have called into question Zimbabwes commitment to uphold property rights.
Mugabes old government also threatened to nationalise foreign-owned businesses he accused of plotting with his Western enemies to bring down his government and externalising foreign currency earnings.
The previous administration had also proposed amendments to mine ownership laws to allow the state to expropriate controlling shareholding from foreigners to give to local businesspeople as part of the empowerment process.
Mining industry experts say unresolved controversy over mine ownership laws continue to hamper foreign investment in the sector, which they say has seen few expansion programmes and drop in mineral output.
Statistics provided by the Chamber of Mines yesterday indicated that Nickel output declined by 26 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, Palladium declined by 18 percent, coal declined by 25 percent, gold declined 49 percent while many more minerals reported declines.