Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Zimbabwe has become a colony of Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, three former Soviet Socialist Republics that he characterised as “some little banana republics in Eastern Europe”.
Speaking during an interview with MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere on Saturday, Biti asserted that Russian-based companies like Trafigura and Russian linked Sakunda Holdings have captured Zimbabwe’s economy especially the fuel sector.
Biti said while Zimbabwe under Mugabe was in danger of becoming a colony of the Chinese, under Mugabe’s successor President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the country has become a colony of the three Eastern European countries. He said:
Trafigura is owned by the Russian mafia. Under president Mugabe, there was a danger that Zimbabwe would be a colony of the Chinese. Under Mr Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has become a colony of the Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians and some little banana republics in Eastern Europe.
Trafigura are Russians, they are in bed with Sakunda. They own 50% of the pipeline from Feruka in Mutare to Msasa but they manage this pipeline from Beira to Msasa.
This is crazy they have the monopoly of every drop of fuel that comes through that pipeline. So it is a supply-side monopoly. Trafigura does not own any fuel pipeline. Why should we give a monopoly to a company in a country that is not oil-producing?