Political reporter
Holes have been punched into the opposition political party’s scheme of tarnishing Chinese investments in Zimbabwe, with the latest being on hyped claims of displacement of families in Binga, ostensibly to pave way for coal mining.
The opposition and their allied media went in overdrive in January peddling falsehoods that a ‘Chinese’ company, Monaf Investments, gave villagers in Muchesu in Binga, three months’ notice to relocate from their communal land to pave way for coal mining activities.
Investigations by this publication have since revealed that Monaf Investment was not a Chinese firm but a subsidiary of Contago Holdings from the United Kingdom.
“Monaf Investment is a subsidiary company of Contango Holdings, from the United Kingdom. Its address is 1 Tudor Street London, EC4Y 0AH United Kingdom. Monaf is incorporated and domiciled in Zimbabwe and there is no link whatsoever with China. You can visit our registered address at 30 Tunsgate Road Northwood, Harare. We don’t even have a Chinese national on our board. Most importantly, all our operations in Binga are above board,” said Monaf board member who refused to be named.
Consultations with relevant stakeholders such as Zimparks, District Development Coordinator, Binga Rural District Council, Environmental Management Agency, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Traditional leaders, Ministry of Health and Child Care and the community, confirmed that the operations were indeed above board.
The board member said all the stakeholders were involved in discussions on the implications of the establishment of the coal mine. He added that the necessary consultative engagements with the relevant stakeholders in relation to any possible relocations were underway.
There have been concerted efforts by the Citizens Coalition for Change party (CCC), to drag through the mud, Chinese investments in the country. False allegations of labour rights violations have been levelled against Chinese proprietors, all in attempt to whip up the electorate’s emotions against same, and subsequently ZANU PF.
The opposition has discovered that the economy is withstanding the western sanctions, largely courtesy of Chinese investments.
