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Midlands Bureau Chief
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, yesterday attacked the indigenisation programme and promised to bring back foreigners to revamp industries. He was addressing a rally in Vungu constituency at Maboleni Business Centre in Lower Gweru. Zimbabwe’s economy took a nose dive in the early 2000s when the West at the behest of MDC imposed illegal sanctions on the country to push for regime change.
Denigrating other countries, Mr Tsvangirai said Zimbabwe should not befriend a country like Guatemala in Central America because it had nothing to offer.
Mr Tsvangirai made unsubstantiated claims that President Mugabe wanted a peaceful but rigged election and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission used the special vote to test the waters.
“President Mugabe is working on rigging the elections by threatening to pull the country out of Sadc. We don’t want to be isolated. We want everyone to be our friends but we need friends who can help us. If you are a father you need to look for friends who you can borrow from.
There is no need for us to befriend a country like Guatemala. What does it give you? We will bring foreigners to help us run the economy, not this thing they call indigenisation,” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai said his party would “open” companies like Bata Shoe Company. Bata has never closed but is just operating below capacity.
Mr Tsvangirai ridiculed the houses of Binga people likening them to those of the “Mbuya Nehanda era”.
“Binga inetutumba tudiki twekuti kana munhu achibuda anokotama (Binga huts are so small that one has to bend his back when entering). Apa vanhu vacho vanenge vakachena kuti mbu. We will improve rural housing once we win the elections. We are tired of staying in houses of Mbuya Nehanda’s era,” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai regurgitated Zanu-PF policies introduced in 1980 such as free primary education and health services.
He tried to woo the war veterans’ vote by promising to create a fund or department to handle their welfare.
The Zanu-PF led Government paid war veterans gratuities of ZW$50 000 each and has a fund that pays their children’s school fees.
Mr Tsvangirai said President Mugabe managed to rule the country for 33 years because he was given that right by God.
He was expected to address another rally at Tongogara in Shurugwi.
Online Reporter