Zimbabwe’s economy is in a mess. Years of macro-economic mismanagement and crippling economic sanctions by western nations have left the country bankrupt.

Yet, the coalition government formed in September 2008 appears to have brought some light at the end of the tunnel. The Observer’s DEVAPRIYO DAS spoke to ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, Zimbabwe’s tough-talking Deputy Prime Minister, about what direction the country is taking.

How is the marriage between the different political partners progressing in Zimbabwe?

Very well! We are very clear that the arrangement in Zimbabwe is the only show in town and the three political parties involved are determined to make a success out of it. Ninety percent of the issues are on track. There are a few outstanding matters, a few challenges here and there like on our farms and in courts, but that’s what we call teething problems.

What timeframe have you in mind for rehabilitating the economy and state?

The timeframe that is critical is [for drafting] a Constitution. In two years time we must have a Constitution that goes through a referendum after which we decide to continue to five years [as a coalition] or to terminate and have elections.

What’s important is not so much the timeframe as the work done. Are we ready for a free and fair election? If we’re not, we need to continue working to establish that.

The reason why we went into talks in the first place was because our election in March was fraudulent. The election in June was a nullity, a farce. There was violence among our people and disharmony in our country. Until we have cured our country of that circumstance, it is pointless to go into elections because we will be back to where we started.

So our mandate as a new government is to create a new Constitution, heal the nation, resolve the humanitarian crisis, do media reforms, political reforms, and also stabilise our economy.

Western donors are reluctant to give you aid as they do not trust the composition of your government and feel it is unworkable. How do you feel about that?

First and foremost, Africans will be masters of their own destiny. Zimbabweans have come together from the three political parties and have decided to work together to form a new government. We, as Zimbabweans, know best what is good for our country; we are the ones who decide its fate.

The sanctions imposed on our country were meant to support me and Tsvangirai as opposition leaders. [We] no longer want those sanctions. What moral authority does the West have to judge the correctness or lack [thereof] of our agreement? We are better positioned to know what is good for our country. How dare they think they know what is best for our country?

They have no moral, legal, political standing to be judging our position. We tell them what we want, and not the other way around.
It’s very patronising to tell Africans that ‘What you have done is not good enough’. It’s very insulting and condescending to be telling the Zimbabweans ‘You have agreed but your agreement is not good enough’.

This is none of their business. We determine the direction of our country, and not London or Washington. However, having said that, of course no country exists in a vacuum. We want to be part of the international community and we want investors to come to our country, but on our terms. We are not a charitable case, we don’t want to be patronised by anybody and we will be part of the international community as an equal, not as a subject or mediocre partner.

How critical is land reform in reorganising your economy?

When we fought our war of liberation, land was a key aspect of our struggle, part of the reason why we went to war. […] We want now to have a moratorium: no more farm invasions, no more farm acquisitions. What we want is a land audit, a land commission to harmonise and rationalise the programme.

But we don’t want to go back to pre-2000 [when a minority of white farmers owned the bulk of most productive lands]. We now want to concentrate on food security and self-sufficiency, on high-yields per hectare, on resources required for re-settlement, and on land titles and security of tenure, so that people can go to the bank and borrow money against land. We are no longer interested in acquiring new farms, but rather, in rationalising the conditions on the farms.

What key sectors of the economy will you focus on regenerating immediately?

Firstly, agriculture: that we have enough food for ourselves, our neighbours and for export. Then, secondary agriculture i.e. processing our products from agriculture into refined items. Then, move into tourism, manufacturing, the mining sector - gold, platinum and diamonds - with value addition and beneficiation whereby we process our minerals in the country.

We are clear there are pillars [we have to erect to do this]: human capital, infrastructure, global trade, regional integration and ICT. What we want to do is move up the global value chain: industrialisation, manufacturing, exporting services and human capital. We need to move in to value addition: we are telling our people, ‘Don’t sell timber, sell furniture; don’t sell raw platinum, sell catalytic converters, cut your diamonds in Africa!’

In doing these things we believe in what we call the Team Zimbabwe approach, where we have the private sector, the NGO community, the government, civil society, and our people. We as a government are ostensibly an enabler, a facilitator, a regulator; the doers are the private sector.

How will you tap the potential of the 3.5 million Zimbabweans living in the diaspora?

They are part of our national fabric, so we want them to be active in our economy through remittances, ideas and investment; and through linking us with external think tanks and investors. Secondly, we want to make sure there is no taxation without representation. They must be allowed to vote and influence the direction of our country […] Those who want to be part of the social, economic and political change in our country must be encouraged to come home, by us creating conditions conducive to them returning. Those who want to participate must be given the space to do so. - the OBSERVER

devapriyo_das@yahoo.co.in

By Special correspondent

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