MDC condemns Mutsekwa for Kingdom Group grab
By KING SHANGO
Published on: 16th September, 2009
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ZIMBABWE – HARARE – The MDC has condemned its own Home Affairs minister for sanctioning the grab of Meikles Africa group in a Mafia-style take-over.
The grab of the assets of the Stock Exchange-listed Kingdom Meikles Limited group of companies was done by the two co-Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi of Zanu-pF and Giles Mutseka of the MDC.
The MDC said in a statement to zim NET radio that asset-grabbing sent wrong signals at a time when the country wanted to attract investment.
“Grabbing property and assets belongs to the politics of yesterday when we had an entire government pursuing people’s properties and stripping them of their value through maladministration, looting and corruption,” said a party spokesman.
“We believe that if the Kingdom Meikles Limited committed any crime, there are better ways of dealing with them than the mafia-style grab of their assets which erodes all hope that has been engendered by the new dispensation.”
The party urged the GNU to inject some seriousness in creating an atmosphere of confidence, investment and goodwill. No serious investor will pour in their money in an economy where a government can grab their assets in the wink of an eye. Seizing people’s assets is inimical to investment, economic growth and development, the party said.
“The co-Ministers of Home Affairs Hon Kembo Mohadi and Hon Giles Mutsekwa have more pressing issues to attend to than seizing the assets of private companies,” said the party in an unrestrained attack on Mutsekwa. “Zimbabweans want to see a professional police force that enforces the rule of law without fear or favour.
They want to see perpetrators of violence brought to book. They want to see a corrupt-free police force which professionally discharges its duties. These are the issues that must grab the attention of the ministers rather than the unbridled pursuit of private property.”
Meikles was seized through a reconstruction order on charges of allegedly externalising forex. The specification followed a messy divorce between Meikles and Kingdom, owned by Nigel Chanakira, who by all intents and purposes appears to be ingratiating himself with Zanu-PF.
The MDC said since the company’s specification on Friday, Meikles Limited is already facing serious operational challenges as it is failing to access loans from the banks.
The specification is also going to affect the lives of over 4 500 workers and their families.
“It is MDC’s position that certainty and predictability are fundamental ingredients of a vibrant business sector and a thriving economy” said the spokesman. “It is for this reason, that the MDC feels that proper action be taken to ensure that certainty and security are guaranteed.”
Mutsekwa was said to have spent the whole day locked in meetings with Chanakira yesterday.
