MASVINGO — The indigenisation policy is “chauvinistic” and not gender-sensitive, as the majority of women in the country are not benefiting from it, a Zanu PF senator said last week.Report by Tatenda Chitagu Maina Mandava, senator for Masvingo, took a dig at the policy, which is being spearheaded by the Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere, saying it did not benefit women, even those in Zanu PF. “The whole thing is to the benefit of male colleagues. Most of the programmes do not benefit women and tend to be a male-only affair and the indigenisation is one such example, as it is yet to benefit women,” she said. Mandava was speaking at an inter-party public meeting organised by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network ZESN in Masvingo last week. She urged women to make “noise”, so that they could get a share of the indigenisation cake. “Women should claim a stake. We have always been sidelined and discriminated against, although our male politicians always talk about gender equality,” she said. Mandava’s comment comes soon after the Industry and Commerce minister Professor Welshman Ncube blasted Zanu PF stalwarts benefiting from the policy. Addressing about 200 supporters in Masvingo last week, Ncube said: “Zanu PF bigwigs who invaded the Save Conservancy under the guise of indigenisation are seasoned thieves.”
