Chamisa tears into ED

Source: Chamisa tears into ED – DailyNews Live

Farayi Machamire      22 January 2018

HARARE – 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.