Acting MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday took a swipe at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to fight corruption saying the law is being selectively applied.
Chamisa was speaking at a rally in Epworth to launch the MDC Alliance campaign where he received a rousing welcome from scores of supporters as he took to the podium which underlined his popularity in the MDC party which could head for an extraordinary congress to replace ailing leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Chamisa dismissed Mnangagwa’s efforts to deal with corruption. “You can’t send a mosquito to fight malaria,” Chamisa thundered, adding: “ED (Mnangagwa) is not capable of fighting corruption because if he was to do so he would have to start with himself.”
He also took a dig at the First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa saying: “This business of the first lady running to hospitals to see patients instead of fixing those hospitals will end.
“When we get into power by September these hospitals you see will not be death traps. These hospitals will be five-star hospitals…others are going to fake injuries just to get into hospital,” he said igniting laughter.
Chamisa said they are ready for the elections. “The momentum is beginning to rise. We are ready for Zanu PF. In fact we have no opposition that is why we are emphasising on the issue of free and fair elections. We have already put ED on notice that there is no election that will be postponed.”
Chamisa also grabbed the opportunity to subtly fire salvos at underlying assertions that within the MDC there arre some fighting against the formation of the MDC Alliance.
The main opposition is faced with executive discord following the formation of the MDC Alliance with MDC vice president Thokozani Khupe being openly critical of Tsvangirai’s plan for an opposition Alliance to take on Mnangagwa in the key presidential election this year.
Khupe has been on record saying the MDC does not need an Alliance to win an election in the three Matabeleland provinces.
“The issue of the Alliance is not up for discussion, in fact it’s the only game in town,” Chamisa said to applause adding that the MDC Alliance would have finalised parliamentary candidates by end of February.
The MDC has been realigning forces with the war veterans and Chamisa reiterated the Alliance’s open tent policy insisting they are open to a grand coalition.
Chamisa’s popularity at the rally was evident.
In a show of togetherness, he and MDC acting president Elias Mudzuri held hands with other MDC principal leaders.
He said the MDC “will not repeat the mistake of 2013 election” insisting the party will not enter a plebiscite that will not be preceded by electoral reforms.
Chamisa said the escalating social, economic and political strife was testament that Zimbabwe was far from the change people had expected after Mnangagwa’s inaugural speech on November 23, 2016.
Away from the internal wars, Chamisa promised an utopian society under the MDC Alliance if they are voted into power.
The envisaged changes included a change of governance culture, separation of party politics and government business, infrastructure development, provision of social services and greater international cooperation. Daily News
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