MUTARE – Mobilization of domestic resources from mining and other economic sectors will translate to sustainable economic development, a non-governmental organisation official has said
Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) regional chair Andy Ziyera said, on the sidelines of a public dialogue meeting on investment expectations, where he said Zimbabwe’s desperation for investment was unhealthy.
He said due to this high penchant for foreign direct investment, the country was shortchanging citizens by signing deals with unnecessary incentives, instead of focusing on harnessing domestic resources.
“Zimbabwe appears to be desperate for investors but there is a need to deal with structural issues to make the investments friendly to communities first.
“We have a case where, because of this need of investment, investors come and dictate to us (Zimbabwe) when it should be vice versa so that any investment empowers people and our resources are not a curse to us,” he said.
Ziyera said communities have an integral role to play by deciding their own priorities and the benefits which they can accrue from any economic activity within their locality.
“This meeting was to brainstorm around community priorities in terms of the types of investors that they want to come in because our resources should be a bridge to attain total economic independence,” he said.
Meanwhile community members from mining areas expressed their disappointment in the manner these foreign investors, particularly Russian and Chinese miners, who they accused of conducting themselves with impunity.
Fungisai Gwashure, from Penhalonga where Russian concern DTZ EZGO used to operate before its operations were stopped, said the miners excavated remains of local children buried along riverbeds.
She said the miners have left a legacy of destruction and unfinished projects, without tangible benefits to locals.
“DTZ came and dug up graves of our young children who are culturally buried near the riverbed because they wanted to mine there.
“That company has not done anything for us despite their numerous promises to empower and employ the local community, even the clinic and school block they build was left unfinished,” she said.
Tinashe Gumbo, an analyst with ZIMCODD, said because of the numerous challenges being faced by communities at the hands of foreign investors, domestic resource mobilization was a better alternative to investment and economic development.
He said there was need for government to make structural adjustments which made sure that existing strategies are strengthened to benefit intended beneficiaries.
“As ZIMCODD our main point of departure is that more often than not the FDI comes with stringent measure as well as the tax incentives and holidays awarded to these investors, all which do not necessary accrue to development.
“Government must strengthen the strategies to raise resources locally by ensuring for example that the Community Share Ownership Schemes are made mandatory so that compliance is guaranteed,” he said.
As part of recommendations to attract investors that will ensure development community members urged government to ensure that investors engage with communities first and have a clear strategy of implementing their promises.
Communities also called for investors to respect the livelihoods of local communities, as well as ensuring local enterprise development and infrastructure development in the areas that they operate in.
