Dangling The Carat

Astute readers will note the use, today, of the wrong 'carrot' in the heading – but this is deliberate as I want to emphasis, accent and underline the attraction that diamonds has for Mugabe and his violent party, ZANU PF.

Mugabe will reason, illogically, that since the diamonds were found on his watch, that he and his party are entitled to their share. Then he will ensure that there is another cut for government, largely run by himself which means that much of the proceeds will disappear into rather deep ZANU PF pockets.

And without a thorough forensic audit, the money will disappear - just like it has done with respect to the Chiadzwa diamonds - now recognised as one of the biggest diamond finds in recent history.

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"Authorities in Zimbabwe said on Sunday they believe they may have found yet more diamonds in western Tsholotsho, northern Binga and near the southern city of Masvingo.

Zimbabwe’s diamond discoveries in the east of the country have dominated the headlines since 2008 when President Robert Mugabe sent in the army to clamp down on illegal diggers.

Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister Obert Mpofu said the commercial viability of the new deposits has not yet been established.

He told the Sunday Mail that he has had preliminary reports on the discovery of diamonds in remote western Tsholotsho as well as in Binga, which is on the shores of Lake Kariba."

I find it particularly worrisome that the new find should be in Tsholotsho, where the only independent elected MP was elected - before he jumped ship back to ZANU PF. This would mean that the constituency of Tsholotsho suddenly would have more importance than it really warrants, and would up the importance of turncoat Jonathan Moyo.

And, believe me, Moyo will work exceptionally hard to ensure that Tsholotsho remains in the forefront of Zimbabwean politics while the people of the constituency will be largely ignored. The idea that Moyo, who, in reality, holds no allegiance to anyone but himself, could be considered even more important by ZANU PF than he already is, is repugnant.

"There may also be diamonds near Masvingo, which is around two hours' drive from Zimbabwe’s controversial diamond fields in Chiadzwa.

The authorities now want to set up their own geological exploration company.

Zimbabweans have been pinning their hopes on the country’s rich gem deposits to pull the economy out of the red.

The mining ministry maintained that Zimbabwe’s Chiadzwa diamonds are now conflict-free, despite the military clampdown that rights groups have said could have killed 200 people."

I find the wording in the above paragraph to be loaded. If the diamonds are 'now' believed to be conflict-free, then that is a tacit admission that they were, at one stage, 'blood diamonds'.

The Kimberley Process, much maligned by the Mugabe administration, are reportedly now quite happy to allow sales of Zimbabwean diamonds to go ahead - albeit secretly - and Mugabe’s people have openly told the likes of the United States of America to 'go to hell' with their rules and regulations that limit the sale of diamonds from questionable methods of mining under even more questionable administrations.

Just as the curtain seems to being falling on Mugabe's lengthy leadership act, the iscovery of new diamond deposits in Zimbabwe gives him all the more reason to hang on to reap the rewards.

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man