Marange, February 17, 2012 - Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday toured four diamond mines in the vast Marange diamond fields where he said he hoped revenue from diamond sales would be channeled to treasury for the benefit of the nation.

Tsvangirai was touring the Marange diamond area for the first time was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara and cabinet ministers from his MDC-T party and Zanu (PF) including several senior government officials.
 
The premier who toured Anjin, Diamond Mining Corporation (DMC), Mbada and Marange Resources diamond mining companies said the government of Zimbabwe regard diamond revenue as a major contributing factor to treasury.
 
"There is various degrees of operation from one company to the other, from DMC to the largest Anjin. You are aware that government needs resources and we regard the diamond revenue as a major contributing factor to the fiscus," Tsvangirai said.
 
"You are aware that I just met the civil service this other day and I am hoping that you put everything together whatever resource that can be obtained from these operations. I am sure that we should be in a position to respond to that, as well as of course other needs of the State."
 The civil servants met Tsvangirai to try and pressure him and the coalition government to release funds for salary increments. Civil servants earn an average 300 US$ per month.
"I am really impressed with the operations (mining)."
 
Anjin mine is owned in a 50-50 joint venture between the government of Zimbabwe and a Chinese company called AFFEC while Marange resources is wholly owned by the government of Zimbabwe.DMC is owned by investors from Dubai and the government and Mbada is a government venture with a South African firm Grandwell holdings.
 
Finance Minister Tendai Biti last year presenting his 2012 statement said the country will earn about $600 million in diamond sales.
 
Tsvangirai on Friday will tour Arda Transau a relocation area where families who were previously staying in Marange were forcibly evicted to allow diamond companies to mine gems.