We will take British firms Mugabe

He has ordered Minister of Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Savious Kasukuwere, to form a committee to bust the so-called sanctions imposed on him and his Zanu (PF) cronies by the West for gross human rights abuses and disrespect of the rule of law.

We are going to look at the 400 British companies. It is time that we take steps to take what is ours, indigenisation should start with the British companies and we are not ashamed to do that because they imposed sanctions against us, said Mugabe.

Buoyed by the words of the octogenarian leader the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has came up with a hit list of companies that should swiftly be grabbed under the controversial indigenisation drive. These include Old Mutual, BHP, Rio Tinto, Standard Bank and Barclays Bank. Mugabe accused the Standard Bank and Barclays Banks of siphoning money from the country to Europe.

The European Union (EU) says that it will consider possible legal action on a case by case basis if the government carries out its intended grabbing of European owned companies.

The EU, which President Robert Mugabe accuses of over having imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, said that its course of action would depend on how the announced seizure of companies will be carried out. EU ambassador Aldo Dell’Ariccia said that since there were international laws and bilateral agreements that protect foreign investment, the necessary steps will be taken in case of threat of seizure of companies.

“First of all there is a legal framework in this country, and the first step would be to see what is feasible within the legal framework. If there is a violation of a bilateral agreement on the protection of investment, this paves way for a legal action. Similar steps have been taken on the occasion of land grabbing and the SADC Tribunal has been very clear in condemning Zimbabwe, even though the Government has ignored the verdict,” the ambassador told The Zimbabwean.

Mugabe also said he would take the few remaining farms still owned by whites, as they have not actively called for the removal of non-existent sanctions and because of their suspected allegiance to the MDC-T, raising fears of a fresh wave of violent land grabs.

“If the takeover is violent, then we will have to consider each case separately. However, we are confident that reason will prevail and some irrational actions will not take place. As a matter of fact, what Zimbabwe needs to consolidate the process of economic recovery and to attract foreign investment, is to abide by international rules in the framework of the respect for democracy, human rights and the Rule of Law, said DellAriccia.