Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has vowed that he will reverse all the government deals that were corruptly signed if he wins the upcoming presidential election.
Chamisa who will be challenging the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the plebiscite to be held on the 23rd of August this year, argued that corrupt deals had impoverished people in Zimbabwe.
Addressing a rally at Dulibadzimu Stadium, Beitbridge, on Sunday, the main opposition leader mentioned the Beitbridge Border Post modernisation project as one of the deals that government entered under controversial circumstances that led to the suffering of people and freight companies who are now supposed to pay more to service the astonishing US$300 million that was borrowed from South African banks.
ZimBorders now levies charges of US$27, US$80 and US$200 for private cars, buses and heavy trucks respectively. This has resulted in local people no longer driving cars to the neighbouring country while freight companies are avoiding the expensive Beitbridge Border Post.
Chamisa specifically said ZimBorders, the company that was contracted to do the Beitbridge modernisation without tendering and then hired Raubex Group as a subcontractor, was complicit in the issue.
“If they build a road, they come back to you and boast, yet it’s their duty. They even inflate the (cost). Look at ZimBorders which has plunged people into suffering,” he said.
“People living in Beitbridge depend on cross-border trade but they have been impoverished by high charges when using the upgraded border so who does it help?”
Chamisa said if he enters into power, his government would reverse deals that make people suffer.
“So what development is that? My government will exempt locals or seek reversal of the deals which make people suffer,” he said.
He added: “Everywhere people are suffering. I am coming from Plumtree and everyone says they are tired of corruption which has led to immense suffering. We are going to change education, health, social security and many things that affect people.
“We will introduce free education at primary and tertiary levels. It’s happening in Zambia and other countries and it’s possible.
“I also want to correct the lie being peddled that I will give back farms to whites. I said I will give people title deeds. People are like squatters on resettled land, they have no claim or right to it,” Chamisa added.
Do it don’t just talk about it
The politics of the promised land.