A public rift has emerged within ZANU PF just a day after influential businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei stated that foreigners should not be operating shops in Zimbabwe at the expense of local entrepreneurs.
The controversy prompted a sharp rebuke from the party's spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa, who on Thursday used his official platform to deliver a forceful correction and reaffirm Zimbabwe's "open for business" policy.
Mutsvangwa explicitly rejected the xen*ph*bic interpretation of Tagwirei's remarks, which had sparked widespread concern.
“Don’t go about saying we don’t want foreigners in Zimbabwe, Hatidi Dudula muno,” Mutsvangwa declared, using a Shona phrase that translates to “We don’t want ‘Dudula’ here,” in a direct reference to the South African anti-immigrant movement.
His statement aimed to draw a clear distinction between protecting local traders and outright hostility toward foreigners.
Emphasizing the government's official stance, Mutsvangwa reiterated a key slogan of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. “Zimbabwe is open for business,” he said. “We want investors, we want partnerships. Our doors are open to those who wish to contribute to our economy.”
