HARARE – Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has said the controversial empowerment law that came into effect last week was also meant to counter sanctions Western nations imposed on President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party top brass over alleged human rights abuses.

"Sanctions worked because the economy was being controlled from outside the country,” Kasukuwere told journalists at the weekend. “Who can assure me that the economy will not be in trouble if the programme does not take off.”

Kasukuwere said some foreign-owned banks were not keen to fund locals.

“These British banks, should change their attitudes; either they support our people or there is no need for them to be in First Street."

The Indigenisation Minister who is from ZANU PF said there was no going back on the law although he was prepared to listen to industrialists’ concerns.

"There is no going back. Forget it. We are going forward. We are prepared to engage and discuss with these companies, but it's time to do things. We shouldn't be scared to take painful decisions," said Kasukuwere.

He said, ever since he was appointed minister, he was now getting invitations from some Western diplomats who were now keen to engage him.

The regulations that came into effect last Monday give 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.

The rules have been a source of controversy and besides dividing the unity government along party lines, they have rattled foreign investors who analysts say may continue to stay away from the country.

The coalition government of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Mugabe has been struggling to win donor support from the West, who want the government to implement irreversible economic and political reforms.

Critics fear Mugabe’s ZANU PF wants to press ahead with transferring majority ownership of foreign-owned companies as part of a drive to reward party loyalists with thriving businesses.

Analysts say the empowerment programme could see Zimbabwe being shunned by investors again who fear a repeat of the land seizures, at a time the new government is out to attract to grow an economy that was in decline for ten years.

Kasukuwere, just like Mugabe is on both the EU and US sanctions list which effectively bars him from travelling to these countries. – ZimOnline