Zimbabwe’s new Indigenisation Minister, Patrick Zhuwao, has vowed to push on with President Robert Mugabe’s contentious agenda for black empowerment.
Zhuwao, who is President Mugabe’s nephew, said that it will be his responsibility to ensure that the country continues with the programme of indigenisation as crafted by Robert Mugabe. He said this was in line with the ruling party’s agenda of indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation.
The well-known businessman and farmer said that he would continue from where his predecessor left off. He replaced Christopher Mushohwe who was moved to the Ministry of Information in Mugabe’s Friday’s cabinet reshuffle.
Mushohwe just recently signalled a slight softening on indigenisation, which requires all large white and foreign-owned businesses to cede a 51% stake to a local black businessman.
Critics and the opposition’s Movement for Democratic Change believe that the policy is scaring off the much needed foreign investment, and some in the ruling party share that view too.
