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(NEWZIMBABWE) Officials looting country’s mineral wealth: Tsvangirai

Officials looting country’s mineral wealth: Tsvangirai
by Staff Reporter
13/02/2011 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused senior Zanu PF officials and top security services personal of looting the country's mineral wealth and warned that the plunder could to lead to instability if it remains unchecked.

Tsvangirai told a South African newspaper that the looting mainly targeted the country's vast gold and diamond claims.

“You hear stories of senior army officials, senior politicians in Zanu-PF scrambling for these resources.

"This is a challenge to the inclusive government - to make sure there are rules and transparency with regards the exploitation of these resources,” he said.

"There must be methods of accountability - this issue of saying we are going to grab as much as we can is going to cause instability in this country.

The MDC-T leader claimed that top members of the country’s security establishment were also involved in the mad scramble for quick riches.

“It is disturbing to note that the people who are supposed to protect our mineral resources are at the forefront of looting them,” he said.

“What business does the army have in diamonds or gold? You hear stories of them grabbing mineral claims as if it is the last supper.”

He added that there had been several new mineral finds in the resource-rich country.

“I am aware that a lot of mineral resources are being discovered - gold, coal, diamonds, platinum. We have credible information that there have been discoveries of huge deposits of minerals, even in areas like Filabusi, Tsholotsho and Shurugwi and indeed along the Great Dyke,” he said.

The coalition government must ensure orderly exploitation of the mineral resources, Tsvangirai added, warning of potential instability in the country if proceeds were not seen to be making their way in the country’s treasury.

“This plunder of resources brings chaos and anarchy to our country and I am going to discuss this with my fellow principals,” he said.

“We have to bring order. If there is no accountability we will soon be like the DRC and Sierra Leone.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 5:55 AM