MDC-Alliance youths attack ZBC crew

ROWDY MDC-Alliance youths in Masvingo caused a stir on Sunday when they harassed a ZBC television crew covering the party’s rally at Mucheke Stadium where their president Mr Nelson Chamisa was addressing.

The youths, who appeared drunk, hurled obscenities at the crew and took away an umbrella from the public broadcaster’s cameraman Pullen Siampepu, who was protecting a camera from showers.

An MDC-Alliance member wrestled the umbrella from the youths who seemed bent on humiliating the reporters.

They accused the public broadcaster of being biased and reporting inaccurately about their party.

“ZBC TV should cover Chamisa in a fair and positive manner,” shouted one of the youths as he snatched the umbrella.

“You are being used by ZANU-PF and we do not want to see you here as you are a biased lot.

“Whether you keep reporting lies or not, Chamisa is going to win resoundingly and very soon you will lose your jobs as he will be in control of the national television. Better you get soaked in the rains, you are useless.”

Mr Chamisa ignored the incident as it unfolded in his full view and that of European Union election observers.

He reportedly apologised to the ZBC crew after the rally.

In his address, Mr Chamisa said: “Once I am in power, I am going to ensure that Tugwi-Mukosi Dam starts to benefit people through massive irrigation.

“The dualisation of Beitbridge-Chirundu Road will be done by a reputable contractor as my government will do proper tendering of capital projects.”

He said if elected president of the country provinces will be renamed to address issues of tribalism.

Mr Chamisa said he would ensure that Cold Storage Company (CSC) would be resuscitated and start to benefit local people through employment.

He criticised the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEc) for what he described as going to bed with ZANU-PF.

Mr Chamisa claimed that the independent electoral body was biased in favour of the ruling party, but his party was not going to boycott the harmonised elections.

“We are going to participate in the election on condition that ZEC produces a genuine ballot paper; we do not want a bond ballot paper,” he said.

“They are making jokes saying that they have printed the ballot paper, we will not listen to that. We do not want anyone to have his hair cut in his absence.”

President Mnangagwa’s administration has since completed a developmental master plan for Tugwi-Mukosi, which will see local people benefiting from 25 000 hectares of irrigable land.

Recently, President Mnangagwa toured the CSC plant in Masvingo where he announced that an investor had been found and that operations would resume soon.

The President has also made it clear that the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Chirundu Road would now be done after Government ditched Geiger International of Austria, which did not have funds to carry out the project.

A Chinese firm would now carry out the work, and all has been put in motion to ensure the dualisation starts.

Geiger had been engaged by the previous government led by former president Mr Robert Mugabe, but the deal remained opaque and shrouded in secrecy.