News / National
'Beitbridge-Harare road dualisation a political gimmick'
20 May 2017 at 07:32hrs | Views
OPPOSITION parties have said the groundbreaking ceremony for the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu highway was a desperate attempt by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF to win next year's elections at any cost.
Mugabe on Thursday officially launched the $984 million dualisation of Beitbridge-Harare highway along the Masvingo-Harare road to be done by an Austrian company, Geiger International, under a build, operate and transfer facility.
The dualisation of the highway, which forms phase one of the project, according to the contractor, will be complete in three years.
But MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Mugabe was desperate to influence the outcome of next year's elections.
He said there were several roads and projects that had been commissioned by Mugabe's broke government that were yet to be completed after over 20 years.
"Mugabe and his government are just a failure, nothing will come out of it. The project will not be complete in three years. The groundbreaking ceremony is simply a political gimmick to hoodwink the electorate ahead of the 2018 general elections," Gutu said.
"Dualisation of the Harare-Masvingo road has been long overdue, but nothing will come out of this corrupt government."
The National People's Party led by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru said the groundbreaking ceremony of the Harare-Chirundu highway was nothing but a political gimmick flavoured with fraudulent intentions for the 2018 elections.
"Put the other way, the so-called groundbreaking ceremony is simply a disguised way of seeking to steal taxpayers' money within the shortest possible period since the regime is now facing obvious electoral defeat in 2018. Mugabe is clearly preparing his fraudulent exit package from power," Mujuru's spokesperson, Gift Nyandoro said.
People Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said: "Remember these are the same chaps who commissioned a town in the middle of a bush in Mt Hampden. They also commissioned a railway line from Chitungwiza to Harare.
"This one has been talk of the town for years. It will take years to have boots on the ground and finish the project. The timing is another project where money will disappear and find itself in factions of Zanu-PF. The money will be used for election campaigns and the party did this to be seen to be fulfilling a manifesto."
Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader, Jacob Ngarivhume said the groundbreaking ceremony was nothing more than a campaign gimmick for the 2018 general elections.
TZ spokesperson Sungai Mazando weighed in: "Zanu-PF has lied to Zimbabweans and they will lie again. It is striking that Zanu-PF seems to have an idea of the essential infrastructural developments that are natural enablers of a thriving economy such as roads, case in point the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway."
Mugabe on Thursday officially launched the $984 million dualisation of Beitbridge-Harare highway along the Masvingo-Harare road to be done by an Austrian company, Geiger International, under a build, operate and transfer facility.
The dualisation of the highway, which forms phase one of the project, according to the contractor, will be complete in three years.
But MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Mugabe was desperate to influence the outcome of next year's elections.
He said there were several roads and projects that had been commissioned by Mugabe's broke government that were yet to be completed after over 20 years.
"Mugabe and his government are just a failure, nothing will come out of it. The project will not be complete in three years. The groundbreaking ceremony is simply a political gimmick to hoodwink the electorate ahead of the 2018 general elections," Gutu said.
The National People's Party led by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru said the groundbreaking ceremony of the Harare-Chirundu highway was nothing but a political gimmick flavoured with fraudulent intentions for the 2018 elections.
"Put the other way, the so-called groundbreaking ceremony is simply a disguised way of seeking to steal taxpayers' money within the shortest possible period since the regime is now facing obvious electoral defeat in 2018. Mugabe is clearly preparing his fraudulent exit package from power," Mujuru's spokesperson, Gift Nyandoro said.
People Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said: "Remember these are the same chaps who commissioned a town in the middle of a bush in Mt Hampden. They also commissioned a railway line from Chitungwiza to Harare.
"This one has been talk of the town for years. It will take years to have boots on the ground and finish the project. The timing is another project where money will disappear and find itself in factions of Zanu-PF. The money will be used for election campaigns and the party did this to be seen to be fulfilling a manifesto."
Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader, Jacob Ngarivhume said the groundbreaking ceremony was nothing more than a campaign gimmick for the 2018 general elections.
TZ spokesperson Sungai Mazando weighed in: "Zanu-PF has lied to Zimbabweans and they will lie again. It is striking that Zanu-PF seems to have an idea of the essential infrastructural developments that are natural enablers of a thriving economy such as roads, case in point the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway."
Source - newsday
