Chamisa hails ZDF’s professionalism ... promises to implement ED’s policies

MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday promised to roll out policies that Government is already seized with.

Addressing an estimated 5 500 party supporters at Dulivhadzimo Stadium in Beitbridge, Mr Chamisa said if elected into power, he will initiate a national healing process, introduce social grants for the elderly and vulnerable members of the community, transform television and radio services, introduce value addition on all exports and upgrade border towns, including Beitbridge.

However, all these programmes are already being implemented under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa.

Mr Chamisa, whose party hasn’t launched an election manifesto, also curiously pledged to address challenges experienced at Beitbridge Border Post in one week.

“We have been visiting a lot of places in Matabeleland to get people’s grievances and if elected into power as President, I will ensure that we carry out a national peace and healing process. although we differ, our difference doesn’t mean he is an enemy. We have to cultivate a culture of respect for one another and as a leader, it’s my duty to lead by example,” This will ensure that we make peace with each other and move forward as a nation,” he said.

“We cannot progress without forgiving each other,” said Mr Chamisa.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who is in charge of the National Peace and Reconciliation portfolio, is already engaging community, church and civic society leaders with the view of enhancing peace and economic development in the country.

The MDC Alliance leader went on: “I want to devolve power and authority as soon as I get elected into power. In addition, we will introduce social grants for the elderly and vulnerable members of the community. I will also address border challenges in one week and promote the ease of doing business. I will also introduce e-governance.” According to Mr Chamisa, the national healing process is not about retribution, but for socio-economic development.

He also pledged to rehabilitate the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway.

Further, he promised his supporters that he will employ the Rwanda model of economic development, which, Government has already taken on. he said.

Mr Chamisa called on people to register to vote.

He also reached out to Dr Thokozani

In April this year, Rwanda’s governance expert Ms Clare Akamanzi visited Zimbabwe at the invitation of Government and had an interface with Cabinet ministers and chief executive officers of public companies on how to turn around the economy.

Said Mr Chamisa: “We also want to deal ruthlessly with the cancerous issue of corruption, which is stalling economic development.

“We will also introduce national budget consultation meetings so that everyone has their say in national budgeting,” said Mr Chamisa.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance and Economic Development routinely carries out budget consultations before the National Budget is tabled before the Parliament.

Government has issued a tender to Zim-Borders, who have started the process of transforming Beitbridge Border Post into a modern urban centre at the cost of $100 million.

In addition, Beitbridge was upgraded from a town to a municipality on 9 March this year as part of the Government’s infrastructure development programme. Khupe, who is currently involved in a dogfight with him over the leadership of the party. Mr Chamisa, who was accompanied by another principal in the alliance, Professor Welshman Ncube, said in the event that he wins the forthcoming elections, he will use the US dollar for a short while before introducing a local currency.

“My Government will address the grievances of the people and represent them. I will address cash challenges. If I come into power in July, by August I would have removed the bond note with the US dollar. Foreign currency will be used for a short while and then I will introduce our own currency,” he said.

In a separate rally held in Maphisa, Matabeleland South, on Thursday, where a handful of people turned up, Mr Chamisa controversially claimed that he will legislate for a policy where Government-run institutions in respective provinces will be manned by people from the same area.

In the 2013 harmonised elections, Zanu-PF swept all the 13 House of Assembly seats in the province.

“We want to change the organogram of the law system, where we do not want to have judges and other law keepers coming from different regions to work where they were not born. If you look at the bench of the Supreme Court, it is led by people from one area,” he said.

Civil servants, he claimed, must work from their places of origin.

“We want the police, teachers, and other civil servants to work from their places of birth.”

In order to promote cohesion, unity and the efficient allocation of the country’s human resource, Government currently does not discriminate in terms of recruitments.