Mnangagwa’s Promises And Non Truths Ahead Of Byo polls

BULAWAYO, June 8, 2015 – VICE President Emmerson Mnagangwa has promised the revival of Bulawayo’s comatose industries as well as the long awaited piping of water from the perennial Zambezi to address the region’s perennial water woes.

Mnangagwa, who also was the guest of honour at the handover of a 65-seater bus to Highlanders Football Club donated by aspiring Zanu (PF) candidate for Makokoba, Tshinga Dube, promised the city heaven and earth.

Without any evidence, Mnangagwa said the government has lined up a number of deals with friendly countries in Africa and Asian for resuscitation of Bulawayo industries.

He added that the government was prioritising key parastatals such as the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).

He also “revealed” that South Africa had approached the Zanu (PF) administration on the possibility of drawing water from the mighty Zambezi River, a development, the state media claimed would benefit Zimbabwe financially and allow for the completion of the Zambezi Matabeleland Water Project.  

But residents and critics canvassed by VOP after the campaign rally in which he was canvassing support for Zanu(PF) candidates ahead of Wednesday’s five by-elections in Bulawayo, said people of the second capital, and Matabeleland as a whole, are tired of the party’s promises and lies.

Petty politicking, we are tired of empty promises, said The General Mpofu.

Misheck Rusero, noted that the Zambezi water project, which has been on the card since 1952, crop-ups whenever there were elections in Bulawayo and Matabeleland.

Lies, lies, lies, said Zuma Mguni, a Pumula South resident.  “They promised to create 2 million jobs but created millions of vendors,” said Zuma, a teacher by profession now plying his trade in South Africa.  

Thebe Charles Mahlafuna said it was time for Bulawayo and its resident to “stop taking crap of empty promises and do it themselves.”

“It’s almost four decades waiting for promises and these promises come towards elections,” observed Mahlafuna.

Lennox Mhlanga, a Bulawayo resident and political analyst, said Zanu(PF) Election promises are like dew.

“They evaporate when the real test of reality is shone on them. It is a fallacy that if the people of Bulawayo vote in the ruling party all their problems will be solved. Nothing will change. Zanu PF is totally clueless in solving this country’s problems and it is a sad indictment of our flawed electoral process.  Just look at the rest of the country at present,” said Mhlanga.

The NRZ and the CSC, which both employed more than 5000 workers at their peak, have been listed in critical condition since 2000 due to what critics say are Zanu PF’s skewed economic and political policies.

Both have been failing to pay their workers their monthly salaries. The CSC for instance, is now slaughtering 1000 compared to 50 000 at its peak.