Mthuli Ncube exposed after taking credit for clinic built by UK company

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has been exposed for trying to take the credit for a clinic that was built in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, by the United Kingdom (UK) infrastructure company NMS in partnership with Zimbabwean taxpayers.

Ncube is the Zanu-PF aspiring MP for Cowdray Park constituency. On his campaigning banner during the ruling party primary elections, he claimed that the 20-bed Cowdray Park Health Centre built by NMS was part of infrastructure projects being spearheaded by Zanu-PF.

He also took credit for a police station and roads in the area.

Research, however, has established that, in March 2023, Zimbabwe resolved to raise US$193 million in offshore lending to implement a 2019 agreement with UK infrastructure company NMS for the construction of hospitals and clinics in the Southern African country.

South Africa’s ABSA and Standard bank of South Africa were joint arrangers for the transaction, which would be insured by Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa.

According to the NewzWire, the original contract saw NMS building clinics at Stoneridge in Harare and Cowdray Park in Bulawayo.

Before attending the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) yesterday, UK Ambassador to Zimbabwe Malanie Robinson visited the Cowdray Park clinic and confirmed that it was built by NMS.

“Great visit to a hospital the UK’s NMS is building in Bulawayo, before going to ZITF. Work on the Cowdray Park facility started in 2022, one of 35 hospitals and clinics being expertly built here by NMS. Proud of this shared investment in providing better healthcare to Zimbabweans,” she said.

Her remarks have effectively ruled out Ncube’s plans to seemingly hoodwink residents into believing that he had a hand in the construction of the clinic.

Commentator Setfree Mafukidze slammed Ncube saying:

“We were told the usual ribbon cutters were funding this clinic and yet it’s the British building it. Even Mablanyo Mthuli is out claiming he brought development to Cowdray Park.

“Unotanga uriTechnocrat wozoita Bomboclaat wozoguma wava Boorangoma risina nyadzi, how do we expect this man to change our National Economy when he is a petty liar like this.”

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere asked the Minister “Why are you abusing a hospital paid for by the taxpayer through an international facility in your desperate personal campaign for Zanu-PF? We need new leaders.”