‘MDC Alliance are cry-babies’ – Chiwenga




Zimbabwe's Commander Defence Forces General Constantino Chiwenga attends the extraordinary conference of the Zanu-PF, Zimbabwe's ruling party, in Harare December 15, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Jekesai NJIKIZANA
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THE MDC Alliance should stop being cry-babies and let the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) do its job as mandated by the Constitution, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.

Addressing a rally at Simchembo 1 Primary School in Gokwe North, the Vice President said Zanu-PF has no control over ZEC as it is an independent body.

Of late the MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa has been accusing ZEC of being biased towards the ruling party. The coalition has a scheduled demonstration against ZEC today and has previously threatened to pull out of the July 30 harmonised elections citing some alleged irregularities.

“ZEC is an independent body and as Zanu PF we have nothing to do with it. The elections will go as planned. Surprisingly they are being cry-babies yet they were part of the process to put the electoral body in place,” said Vice President Chiwenga.

He said Zanu-PF was not slowing down its campaign machinery in a bid to win the elections.  He said Zanu-PF was the only party that was going to develop the country in the next five years as evidenced by the socio-economic growth witnessed by the country in the past seven months under the new dispensation.

“The future of our country is in our hands so is the future of our children. So come July 30 you must vote for your Zanu-PF councillor, your Member of Parliament who in this case is Lovemore Chikomba and President Mnangagwa. President Mnangagwa on July 31 will become our new leader of the country and he has already declared Zimbabwe is open for business meaning a brighter future for every Zimbabwean,” he said.

Vice President Chiwenga said following Operation Restore Legacy, Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mnangagwa would not recede to the levels of yesteryear.

“President Mnangagwa after November 24 promised a new Zimbabwe of opportunities for everyone and so Zimbabwe won’t go back to the old. We are doing new things and we want to satisfy every Zimbabwean,” he said.

The VP said the masses were the rightful owners of the party adding that no individual was bigger than it.

“It’s you who elect the leadership of the party and you elect the leaders of the country. Zanu PF is too big and can’t be placed in anyone’s pocket. Even if you are the most popular member, we won’t allow you to put the party in your pocket. But what is good about Zanu-PF is that it accommodates everyone, “he said.

Gokwe North, Vice President Chiwenga said, was being considered for development in health, education and infrastructure development.

He said Government was aware of the challenges the people of Gokwe North were facing in light of the impact of sanctions which had affected the development of the country.

The Vice President said Government was also recruiting qualified teachers so that they teach Tonga in primary and secondary schools in Tonga-speaking Gokwe North.

He said Government was going to install electricity in Simchembo area shortly so that there is power at schools and health  facilities.

“We are aware that you need good roads and we are going to put gravel on some roads which are sandy as well as tarring those which need to be tarred. I have promised the Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Owen Ncube and the Zanu-PF Provincial chairperson Daniel MacKenzie Ncube that we are going to bring centre pivots and start an all year irrigation scheme which will be under Chief Simchembo as a matter of urgency,” he said.

VP Chiwenga will move to Matabeleland South where he is expected to address party supporters at Zhove in Beitbridge this morning before moving to Ntepe Business Centre in Gwanda in the afternoon.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to address party supporters at Filabusi Centre before proceeding to Dingumuzi Stadium in Plumtree in the afternoon.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Rapelang Choene said the province was preparing to meet VP Chiwenga.

“As a province we’ve started preparing and we’re trying to mobilise transport to get all people to attend and also to meet Vice President Chiwenga,” he said.

He said the first rally will be held near Zhove Dam where they’re planning to launch a very big irrigation project.

“Zhove Dam is one of the dams that is underutilised and an irrigation project is expected to be launched there by Vice President Chiwenga,” he said. – Herald