Zim’s 1st electric car

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
IN what could be a major breakthrough in the history of science and technology in the country, a Zimbabwean man has manufactured an electric car, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Cde Oppah Muchinguri, said yesterday.

Cde Muchinguri said the electric car would be launched in Harare next week.

Addressing a Zanu-PF star rally at Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre in Kwekwe yesterday, Cde Muchinguri said Zimbabwe’s future was bright and the country’s resources should be guarded jealously.

She said the electric car, which doesn’t use diesel or petrol, had been developed by a Zimbabwean.

Cde Muchinguri said it was therefore vital that NewZim Steel opens soon so that all the materials for the bulk production of the electric car are readily available.

“Next week we’re launching the first Zimbabwean car ever. It will be an electric car. This one doesn’t use diesel or petrol. So we want NewZim Steel to be revived soon so that we’re able to make our own vehicles,” she said.

Cde Muchinguri, who is Zanu-PF secretary for Transport and Social Welfare, said she expected motor vehicle prices to plummet once the country starts bulk production of the electric vehicles.

She said the over $600 million that is going to Japan as people import second hand vehicles would then be used to develop the country.

“Motor vehicles will be very cheap. So it’s very vital that NewZim Steel opens soon,” Cde Muchinguri said.

She said there were also plans to launch a generator that is capable of lighting up 400 houses.

Cde Muchinguri revealed that the United States of America tried in vain to buy the generator technology for about $1.5 billion.

“This technology is there and we’re launching a generator that will light up to 400 houses. America had offered $1.5 billion to buy the technology but we refused,” she said adding that the Zanu-PF government was committed to making the livelihoods of Zimbabweans better.

Cde Muchinguri urged party supporters to vote for the party candidate in tomorrow’s by-election, Cde Vongaishe Mupereri.

She said it was high time Zanu-PF reclaimed all the seats in Parliament and Senate so that there was unity in policy implementation and development.

“We’re tired of this Movement for Disaster (MDC). We don’t want to push them out and remain as a one party State. Zanu-PF is a party that has the people at heart and is pro-development. Vote for the party’s candidate,” she said.

Cde Muchinguri, who also officiated at the ground breaking ceremony of 200 affordable stands in Mbizo 9, said the party’s preferred candidate had shown even before the by-election that he was a hard worker.

She said the candidate had led residents in clean up campaigns in the constituency, among other good deeds.

“More will be done for the people of Kwekwe by Cde Mupereri working with the Zanu-PF government. We want the enrolment at Kwekwe hospital to be increased from the current number,” she said.

Cde Mupereri said he was confident of winning the by-election.

He has already liaised with Kwekwe City Council for the opening of two clinics in Mbizo 17 and 19 and has assisted several churches to get land.

Cde Mupereri also availed 6×30 tonne tippers for refuse collection since Mbizo was now a health hazard because of uncollected garbage.