Zimbabwe Safe For Investment, Says Vice-President Mujuru

Mrs. Joyce Mujuru, Vice-President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. She represented Zimbabwe at a United Nations Summit, the G-192, in New York earlier this year.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Zimbabwe safe for investment: Mujuru

Herald Reporter

The situation in Zimbabwe has been exaggerated by some sections of the international media and the country remains a good investment option, Vice President Joice Mujuru has said.

In a meeting with the visiting 25-member German business delegation at Munhumutapa Building yesterday, VP Mujuru assured investors that as long as they followed laid-down legal and policy procedures, there would be nothing to fear.

"There are other countries where the situation is worse than in Zimbabwe, but they (international media) decide to keep quiet about it."

VP Mujuru said the country was safe and the inclusive Government was working well and would not collapse.

"We don’t want to waste our time thinking of the death of the inclusive Government. For you our investors, you have to take our word that security is there.

"It (the inclusive Government) will work and your money will be safe. Let’s go on, let’s all come to Zimbabwe and you will be surprised by the difference you will make," VP Mujuru said.

She said the land reform programme corrected historical imbalances brought about by colonialism, adding: "The war we fought in this country was on land. It was a war that was fought to regain our land.

"The other thing we wanted to get rid of was the system. We wanted everyone to live free as a citizen of Zimbabwe, we wanted to get rid of that system which was exploitative and discriminatory, especially against the black man" she said.

She reiterated that laws governing land did not affect investment in other sectors of the economy and those who wanted to invest in agriculture had to abide by the law.

"We have laws that govern land and there are procedures that have to be followed there. They (laws on land) only affect agricultural land, farmland. If you are there to do business elsewhere, there are laws that govern that side," VP Mujuru said.

She added that land reform programme was an important programme and the issue could have been a source of future conflicts if it had not been addressed.

VP Mujuru said the appointments of Attorney-General Johannes Tomana and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono were constitutional.

"On one hand, they want us to follow the law on the other they want us to break the law. These people are employed on contracts and we have to follow procedures; we can’t break the contracts. The RBZ governor and the AG are people who were appointed before the inclusive Government," she said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi also attended the meeting.

Germany’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Albrecht Conze commended the inclusive Government for the progress it had made and pledged his country’s support.

"Your pragmatic and optimistic approach is shared by everybody and we support it and I promise you that my government has stepped up its support," he said.

The delegation also visited Marondera yesterday and met local businesspeople there. Ms Nina Mapili of the Southern Africa Initiative of German Business said Zimbabweans were the most enterprising people in Sadc but the country suffered from negative perceptions.

"The truth is that if there was no bad image portrayal and the playing field was level, virtually the whole of Africa would have to watch out for Zimbabwe’s potential," she said.