Mlondolozi Ndlovu
FormerFinance Minister and leader of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Tendai Biti has blasted the recent visit by Chinese President and investors, saying the Chinese investment in Zimbabwe was akin to a second colonization.
Speaking during a press conference held after the appointment of PDP’s national secretaries, Biti said Jinping’s visit was not different from the 1890’s Pioneer column’s invasion of Zimbabwe.
“This week’s visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese top leaders is no different from Cecil John Rhodes led Pioneer column which effected the colonization of our country and put it through almost 100 years of bondage” he said
Biti further said the coming of the Chinese was akin to Cecil John Rhodes’s Cape to Cairo dream which sought to take over the whole of Africa.
“Like Rhodes, Jinping is coming at a time when his own version of Charles Rudd has secured various concessions mortgaging our mineral wealth and chaining us to the yoke of debt. Just like Rhodes, Jinping has come to Zimbabwe but his interests are to spread the Chinese empire from Cape to Cairo” said the former Finance Minister
“I have never agreed with Zanu PF. But on this point I would like to disagree. Zimbabwe shall never be a colony again!” he said to the applause of hundreds of his party members.
He also took a swipe at the recent budget by Finance Minister, the conditions under which the economy was performing did not allow for any economic growth.
“For our economy to function there is need for agriculture and energy to function. An economy functions on energy or power. In Zambia companies are closing because there is no power” he said
“Look in Zimbabwe, 6000 companies have closed, 40000 people are unemployed how do they the economy to grow under such circumstances. Anyone who believes this budget will save us are either they are lying, drunk, dishonest or both” he said.
Biti said Zimbabweans should not celebration anything from the new budget since it was ‘fictious’.
“The budget was 4 billion. 500 million will be borrowed. This 4 billion budget is fiction.” he said.
Efforts to get comments from the Zanu PF National Spokesperson were fruitless.
