HARARE, March 12 (NNN-NEW ZIANA) — Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has made a U-turn and spoken out in support of the country’s controversial indigenisation regulations, saying they are meant to enhance participation of locals in the economy and not to undermine investment.

Speaking at a symposium on mobilising public private partnerships (PPPs) in institutions of higher and tertiary education here Thursday, Tsvangirai said the government was seeking to promote broad-based indigenous empowerment and not enriching a few individuals.

“It is in the best interest of the public as there is need for enhancing local participation in a broad based manner,” he said.

When the indigenisation regulations were gazzetted last month, Tsvangirai declared them “null and void” saying they would scare away investors.

Meanwhile, Tsvangirai has urged the private sector to invest in the education sector since human capital was crucial in the economic recovery programme.

“Education and skills development play an important role in regional co-operation so
Zimbabwe must continue to invest in its people as it is that human capital that will help in economic development,? he added.

He said by calling for PPPs, the government was not abandoning its responsibility but that provision of quality education was a shared responsibility. “PPPs relieve the pressure put on the budget,” he noted.

A legal framework regulating PPPs would be crafted to operationalise and harmonise the agreements to make them transparent since they were complex, he said.

He noted that some companies had partnered the government in the higher and tertiary education sector and urged others to follow suit and not wait for the legal framework to be put in place.

“The government will play its part in crafting an enabling framework,? he said.

Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Stan Mudenge said the private sector should invest in education since it was the main consumer of products of tertiary institutions.

“The government is carrying a heavy burden and it has its own limits so we will we will work on how we can bring together stakeholders so that they can contribute to our education sector,? he said. “We will find ways and means to promote and strengthen PPPs.” — NNN-NEW ZIANA

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