Firebrand opposition lawmaker Temba Mliswa has channeled his anger over the “unheralded privileges” given to the Chinese in his native Zimbabwe into a spirited campaign to have them kicked out of the country before they could in his opinion do further damage.
He has called for Chinese nationals to be expelled from Zimbabwe for allegedly capturing President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his officials who he accused of illegally parcelling out the country’s resources to the Asians.
Mliswa accused Mnangagwa’s government of turning a blind eye while Chinese businessmen run roughshod around the country.
“So they have left us to be beaten up. We are abused; they do what they want,” said the lawmaker who has on numerous occasions clashed with government officials and other parliamentarians over issues of alleged mis-governance.
He cited an incident in which a traditional chief was allegedly attacked by some Chinese nationals in 2019 after he had gone to a Chinese-owned tile manufacturing firm to protest about poor working conditions at the factory.
Chinese nationals have also been in the news for the wrong reasons lately, with a number of companies belonging to the Asians accused of evicting villagers from their properties in order to make way for their mining activities.
Mliswa accused the Chinese of being “bullies” and of engaging in corrupt activities.
“I am told some of them have Zimbabwean passports. Have you ever seen a Zimbabwean with a Chinese passport?”
JN/APA