Harare says amended mining law ready
Posted on March 10, 2010 | Category: Politics; Business, Sport
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Mines Ministry will this year present to Cabinet an
amended mining law for approval before it is tabled in Parliament, a senior
government official said on Monday although he was not clear whether the
amendment bill will prescribe 51 percent local ownership of all mines.
“The amendment is ready. As you know, when a draft bill is ready, it is
taken to Cabinet, to the Cabinet committee on legislation and then back to
cabinet for final approval,” Mines Minister Obert Mpofu told reporters.
“Only then is it taken to Parliament.”
Under the old draft mining law published in 2006, new foreign investors
would have been barred from holding more than 49 percent of a mining firm
while existing business would have been forced to sell off stake to meet the
requirement.
Mpofu said the bill that lapsed before it was passed had been revived, but
declined to say if the amended bill would prescribe 51 percent local
ownership of all mines in a country, as required under the indigenisation
regulations announced last month.
“We are currently looking at the indigenisation law, we want to make sure
that legislation tallies. It is not me who will decide that (ownership
thresholds), but Parliament,” he said.
The changed draft mining Bill will be tabled during the current session of
Parliament, according to Mpofu.
A power-sharing government set up last year by President Robert Mugabe and
bitter rival Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister, has promised to be
flexible in its application of a 2008 empowerment law seeking to transfer
majority shareholding in all foreign firms, including mines, to indigenous
black people.
But the coalition partners have clashed over regulations issued last month
by Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere giving foreign-owned companies
45 days to submit proposals to the Indigenisation Ministry on how they plan
to bring on board locals to take 51 percent of their businesses. – ZimOnline
» Filed Under Politics; Business, Sport
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