Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Ncube dismisses Mugabe’s company seizure threats

Ncube dismisses Mugabe’s company seizure threats
by Staff Reporter
27/12/2010 00:00:00

INDUSTRY and Commerce Minister, Welshman Ncube, has dismissed President Robert Mugabe’s recent threats to seize US and European companies operating in Zimbabwe if sanctions imposed against the country were not removed. Ncube, who is also the Secretary General of the MDC party, said Mugabe’s threats were not government policy.

“First of all, that is not government policy and that is also not the policy of the inclusive government and that is not a way for the support to the revival and growth of the economy,” Ncube told the NewsDay on Monday.

“We have to normalise relations with the Western countries for better trade and revival of the economy.”

Mugabe made the threat during a national conference of his Zanu PF party which was held in the eastern border city of Mutare a fortnight ago.

“We need to read the riot act to the British and others and say ‘unless you remove the sanctions, we will go 100 percent’,” Mugabe said referring to the government’s policy requiring all foreign-owned firms to localise at least 51 percent of their shareholdings.

Ncube said revenge would reverse ongoing efforts to revive the country’s economy adding there were better ways to have the sanctions removed.

“Two wrongs cannot make a right, we cannot correct a wrong by doing another wrong, that is certainly not modern policy,” Ncube said.

He added that the inclusive government was keen to engage the United States and the European Union (EU) to ensure the sanctions were removed.

The sanctions were imposed in the last decade after Western countries accused Mugabe of electoral fraud and human rights abuses.

The veteran Zimbabwean leader however argues he is being punished for his land reform which he insists have benefitted the country’s previously disadvantaged majority.

He blames the sanctions for the country's near-economic collapse over the past decade.

Labels: MDC, ROBERT MUGABE, WELSHMAN NCUBE

posted by MrK @ 8:45 PM