Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Members of Parliament have refused to endorse an agreement aimed at “protecting and securing” Belarusian investments in Zimbabwe.
Although President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the deal in 2023, it requires parliamentary ratification before it can take effect.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sheila Chikomo, presented the memorandum of agreement to the National Assembly, seeking approval for the bilateral deal on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments. She urged Parliament to ratify the agreement by 31 May 2025.
A parliamentary committee on foreign affairs also recommended approval, arguing that the agreement offers Zimbabwe an opportunity to attract investment, support sustainable development, and strengthen economic ties.
However, CCC MPs raised concerns. Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa said:
The coincidence of the minister bringing this agreement before this August House was designed to be timed with the president’s official visit currently happening.
Mushoriwa argued that Parliament could not approve the agreement without comprehensive information on the trade balance between Belarus and Zimbabwe. He added:
We also need to be worried when we end up having a trade agreement which can be manipulated and exploited by a few individuals who are connected.
Mbizo MP Corban Madziwanyika argued that the agreement would primarily benefit Belarus, as Zimbabwe would be limited to importing finished products such as tractors.
Meanwhile, MP Mutsa Murombedzi warned that “Parliament should not become a rubber stamp for executive deals,” adding:
It’s a document that potentially grants disproportionate power to foreign capital with little accountability. I therefore call upon this house to defer the approval.
On Tuesday, President Mnangagwa oversaw the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding with Belarus in Minsk, during his four-day state visit to the former Soviet republic.
The trip focused on boosting ties between Zimbabwe and Belarus, with deals signed in key areas including health, infrastructure, agriculture, and economic development.
More: ZimLive
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