Corruption in Zimbabwe has cost the country at least $20bn in “disappeared” rough diamonds, according to veteran economist and former member of parliament Eddie Cross.
He accuses the late Robert Mugabe, who served as prime minister from 1980 to 1987, of personally helping himself to $1.3bn of diamonds.
“We still suffer from massive leakages of economic output and income,” Cross, 84 (pictured), writes on his website, in a blog entry that pulls no punches and which has been widely reported in Zimbabwe’s media.
“When I was in parliament in 2012, I raised the wholesale theft of diamonds from the newly discovered Marange diamond fields,” he says.
“These covered nearly 100,000 hectares and in that year I estimated that we produced more carats than Botswana.”
Production from the Marange alluvial deposit started in 2006, after De Beers discovered diamond reserves, and continues today.
“It was taken over illegally by the Ministry of Mines and then exploited by six companies, all linked to powerful elements in the government, including the state president,” he writes.
“My personal estimate is that Marange has produced nearly $30bn in raw diamonds since then. A third was probably absorbed in costs but the rest has disappeared.
“Mr Mugabe famously asked where US$15bn had gone since mining had started. He knew the answer to that as I think he personally took $1.3bn.”
He alleges widespread corruption in every sector of government activity.
“It is well known that in certain ministries if you want a decision of any sort, you have to pay for it. I was approached by a senior civil servant for a bribe to sign a letter, I said but surely that is your job.
“I was told ‘do you think we do this sort of thing for nothing?’ I did not pay the bribe and did not get the letter.
He goes on to say: “This scrouge soon also infects the private sector. The statement by the Dubai Gold Exchange that in 2023 they bought nearly 450 tonnes of gold from informal origins in Africa. That is $32bn worth, a third from Zimbabwe. No wonder we are awash in US dollars in cash.”
Source: Idex