Even more surprising were the objectives of the organisations filed with the DCRA.
Papers filed with the DCRA said the main business of the Global Alliance for Zimbabwe was “promoting the common business interests of US entities conducting or contemplating conducting business in Zimbabwe, US business entities acquiring or contemplating acquiring products and services produced in Zimbabwe, and business located in Zimbabwe that desire to do business with US companies”.
This was quite a bizarre purpose considering that Zimbabwe was, and still is, under United States sanctions.
Its articles of incorporation said the Global Alliance of Zimbabwe was formed to “to unite in a common organization and promote the common business interests of:
- U.S. business entities conducting or contemplating conducting business in the Republic of Zimbabwe,
- U.S. business entities that acquire or contemplate acquiring products or services produced in the Republic of Zimbabwe, and
- businesses located in the Republic of Zimbabwe that desire to do business with U.S. companies or have U.S. companies conduct business in the Republic of Zimbabwe”.
It was also going to:
- to promote policies and practices that create opportunities for US business to conduct business in the Republic of Zimbabwe and to sell products to and purchase products from businesses conducted in the Republic of Zimbabwe;
- to promote business relationships between United States business entities and businesses operated in the Republic of Zimbabwe;
- to obtain and provide information about the conduct of business in the Republic of Zimbabwe to US businesses that are contemplating undertaking business in the Republic of Zimbabwe or developing business relationships with companies that are otherwise conducting business in the Republic of Zimbabwe; and
- to represent US businesses conducting or seeking to conduct business in the Republic of Zimbabwe before regulators, legislators and public policymakers, in public forums and before the press on matters of important public policy, legislation and regulation.
It was therefore not clear how the organisation was going to benefit the MDC-T or how it was going to promote business when Zimbabwe was under United States sanctions.
Goddard Gunster which was running the GAZ has refused to respond to any questions regarding the alliance both in writing and verbally. The Insider has sent several emails and phoned the office four times, each time being told Gerry Gunster, the chief executive of Goddard Gunster, was too busy or out of office.
Bennett also refused to respond to any questions.
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