Harare — ZANU PF summoned about 40 top business executives to a heated meeting last week and blamed them for Zimbabwe's deepening economic crisis, warning against public criticism of government policies.

Sources privy to the highly charged indaba held at Munhumutapa Building - which also houses President Robert Mugabe's office - revealed that Elliot Manyika, the ZANU PF political commissar, accused the business sector of sabotaging the economy. He, however, stopped short of admitting ZANU PF's mismanagement.

But after accusing industry of destroying the economy, Manyika stunned the executives by pleading with them to "put their shoulders to the wheel" and help stop further decline, a source said.

The business leaders, frantically trying to keep their companies afloat, however reportedly responded to Manyika's accusations by blaming ZANU PF's populist policies for the state of Zimbabwe's economy, now in its sixth straight year of recession.

After running down parastatals, ZANU PF was told, government was now threatening the viability of industry through price controls, red tape and contradictions on key policy.

The meeting was convened by Florence Makombe, a director in the Ministry of Industry and International Trade. Patison Sithole, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and Luxon Zembe, head of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, led the business executives to the meeting, our sources say.

Phineas Chihota, the ZANU PF legislator for Seke and deputy Industry and International Trade Minister, and the ministry's permanent secretary Christian Katsande, accompanied Manyika.

"Manyika was told that industry has lost serious money because of government's constant blundering," said one source.

The timing of the meeting, held only weeks ahead of the Senate elections, raised eyebrows among some sceptical executives, it is understood. Industrialists suspect that it might have been meant to coerce them to fund ZANU PF's election campaign.

Last week's meeting once again reveals the rift between government and business, which is set to widen as the economy slides further into the abyss with little concrete action from government to stop the decline.

ZANU PF has previously accused industry of giving financial support to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and blamed businesses for hoarding basic foodstuffs to whip up emotions and cause an uprising against President Mugabe's government.

The meeting came as two key companies announced closures of crucial operations, developments that are likely to raise tempers within industry.

Dunlop Tyres, the country's largest tyre maker, closed down last week, citing shortages of foreign currency. National Foods has also raised the red flag, warning it will shut down its main flour mills in Harare and Bulawayo after they ran out of wheat.

At last week's meeting, Manyika stuck to the ZANU PF refrain that "detractors" of the land reform programme were sabotaging the economy.

While declining debate on land reform, Manyika reportedly asked the executives to "come up with ideas on how to improve agricultural production".

"His message was basically that the party made enemies from the 1st Chimurenga to the 3rd Chimurenga and hence the country was now under siege," said the source, adding Manyika had warned industry against criticising government policy in public.

Manyika said with 70 percent of the companies listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange now in the hands of blacks through various empowerment deals, it was "payback time" for the companies, suggesting they should now support government.