Parly speaker wants speedy implementation of investment deals

THE GOVERNMENT should craft provisions to enforce timeous implementation of investment deals failure to which line ministries involved should be taken to account, the Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda said yesterday.

Addressing the 2019 pre-budget seminar in Bulawayo, Adv Mudenda called on relevant Parliamentary portfolio committees to follow up on the deals to ensure speedy implementation.

He further called on committees to stimulate debate on how the budget can be used as a tool for the industrialisation of the economy in order to create jobs and increase the revenue base.

“In this regard honourable members and ministers, together let us fight the disease of inertia, we sign agreements that Zisco should be rehabilitated, the implementation period is anathema to economic business.

“If Zisco does not arise, industrialisation in terms of steel spread will not happen. The National Railways of Zimbabwe has done well to be resuscitated but it must carry coal from Hwange but Hwange Colliery is in a mess. Now, because Hwange Colliery is in a mess what will NRZ having been revitalised carry to Zisco? Zisco, which remains dormant and this big billionaire investor.

“We need the pick to be thrown at Zisco on the ground so that that money we hear is in billions should start resuscitating Zisco then Sable Chemicals will wake up, Zesa will provide the sufficient electricity,” said Adv Mudenda.

“You can’t talk of industrialisation where these synergies don’t speak to each other. Honourable Minister of Finance, crack the whip, let us crack the whip, where a deal has been signed say for mining, why should we wait another six months, another one year, waiting for what, so there was no good intention of investment in our country.

“Perhaps through the Ministry of Finance, let us have a deal structure unit that ensures that what ever deal is signed for is implemented immediately, jobs are created, economic growth is established and Parliament must bring the executive to account in that regard”.

Adv Mudenda said one key development that has suffered from inertia is the establishment of one stop shop investment authority that has failed to take off since 2010.

Adv Mudenda however, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa has included a proposed bill to establish this one stop investment centre to be tabled in the 9th Parliament.

“It is my hope that as soon as we get to Harare, you as committees look for that list of 30 proposed bills and choose the ones that belong to your portfolio committee, once you have chosen, follow the line ministries and say where is the bill and give them timelines when they should bring those bills for tabling,” he said.