The Desperado Concession

RECENTLY President Robert Mugabe returned from Beijing to a country high on expectations.

RECENTLY President Robert Mugabe returned from Beijing to a country high on expectations.

Most Zimbabweans had been waiting eagerly for him to off-load his bagful of alms from China to aid reverse the ailing economy.

Since his return, the promises of goodies from China are still being revealed to the people in dribs and drabs.

The discretion exercised in revealing the total worth of the bilateral agreements is adding to the anxiety of a State on its knees.

As usual, sceptics from the other side of the political divide seem to be stocking up the consternation by claiming that the president returned empty-handed. They maintain that the Chinese would not splash their cash on a risky debtor.

Off course Mugabe did not bring with him trunk-loads of yen to jump-start the economy. He claimed to have put his signature on long-term multibillion-dollar deals that will see ZimAsset picking up pace.

Mugabe claimed to have clinched deals that would see capital projects of national interest taking off the ground.

These will include roads networks rehabilitation, dam constructions, hospital constructions, mineral exploration and exploitation, improvement of educational systems and reinforcing of the nation’s defensive and offensive capabilities.

China pledged to bankroll the virtual reconstruction of Zimbabwe in an atmosphere of mutual respect and equal partnership.

China will reportedly stay true to her role of trusted all-weather friend by refraining from attaching any sinister strings to this enormous business package.

The agreement means that the Chinese can now begin ripping open the chest of our natural resources and do as they please with what they find. The Chinese will enjoy an unfettered access to the resources without any environmental responsibility. This means that the Chinese may want to get back their money’s worth without care as to how they do it and what they leave behind.

This could be Zimbabwe’s own “Shylock the Jew” moment where each of us will have to repay the Chinese with a pound of flesh. The underlying truth is that Beijing seeks to do profitable business with minimal risks.

Contrary to Mugabe’s belief, such long-tern deals come with strings to safe-guards the investor. No country signs away billions without security guarantees.

Like all other bilateral agreements that involve the transfer of aid from the benefactor to the beneficiary, there are strings attached to Mugabe’s arrangement with his friends from the East. The existence of strings attached is not subject to debate, but the argument should be on the extent and magnitude of the conditions.

As it is, Mugabe could have inadvertently signed the Desperado Concession in circumstances bearing similarity to the rude trickery played on King Lobengula Khumalo to sign the Rudd Concession in 1888.

Charles Rudd and partners tricked Lobengula into giving long-term mining and hunting rights to Cecil Rhodes’ company in return for some weapons and pocket money.

The Desperado Concession is not any different as several mining concessions have been ceded to the Chinese (and Russians). All the Chinese have to do is to exploit what lies beneath the surface.

The similarities between the Rudd Concession and this Desperado Concession hinge on Zimbabwe handing over control of her natural resources to foreigners whose aim is to advance their own interests at the expense of Zimbabweans.

Off course Lobengula wanted some defensive alliances and indeed Mugabe wants someone to cuddle him in the wake of the West peddling the regime change agenda.

Mugabe’s deal with China, although perfectly legal and necessary, may mean that he has irretrievably mortgaged the country to the Chinese for decades to come. Perhaps the two concessions were genuine mistakes that were forced upon the leaders due to geopolitical demands.

Since Lobengula was illiterate he might not have been aware of the implications of his signature on the piece of paper. On his part, Mugabe approached the Chinese from a highly educated angle yet his rationale was obstructed by desperation.

Lobengula realised that he had been tricked and insisted on cancelling the agreement. Due to the intransigence of the British, the whole mess led to wars which the people finally won in 1980.

On the other hand Mugabe does not see anything wrong with his arrangements with China. He is desperate to revive the economy, save his political neck and hopefully establish a legacy.

It is unfortunate that he will never have to admit that his deals with China were as good as signing the country into a state of servitude to the Orient – not that servitude to the West is any better.

Some years to come wars will be fought to dislodge the Chinese from controlling our resources. There is strong suspicion that the drums of war could be sounding from the distance and that anger is incubating slowly in dark cold corners of our homes.

The Chinese weapons of war delivered to Zimbabwe as part of the Desperado Concession may break the country’s peace when the uneasy times come.

Masola waDabudabu is a social commentator