Monday, October 30, 2023

China Hands Over Parliament Building to Zimbabwe or How to Milk an Aid Project

 NewsDay published on 27 October 2023 an article titled "China Hands Over New Parliament Building" by Harriet Chikandiwa.  

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa received from China on 26 October 2023 a new $100 million National Assembly financed by China Aid.  Mnangagwa said at the ceremony his ZANU-PF government "stands ready to strengthen synergies and to share experiences with the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China with regards to advancing rejuvenation and growing our economy."

The Associated Press published on 23 November 2022 an article titled "Zimbabwe's Imposing New Chinese-funded Parliament Opens" by Farai Mutsaka.

Mnangagwa hailed opening of the structure on this occasion.  The article valued the building at $200 million.

Xinhua published on 27 November 2019 an article titled "Zimbabwean President Impressed by Progress on Chinese-funded New Parliament Building." 

Mnangagwa toured the site, his third since construction began in 2018, of the new parliament building, expressing "gratitude to China for the magnificent gesture."  

IOL published on 30 November 2018 an article titled "Zimbabwe Starts Building New Parliament Paid by China."

Mnangagwa laid the foundation stone for the new parliament building funded by China.

Comment:  These articles do not even scratch the surface of the flood of publicity China received from this project beginning with the signing of what began as a loan in 2017.