Zimbabwe to be better than South Africa, promises Chamisa

MDC Alliance presidential candidate Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday promised to fix the economy in "a short space of time" if he is elected after the July 30 elections.

Addressing a rally at Rutenga Business Centre in Masvingo yesterday, Mr Chamisa also said he will make the country's economy — whose gross domestic product (GDP) is valued at $18,7 billion— better than Africa's biggest economy, South Africa, in the next five years.

South Africa's GDP currently stands at more than $290 billion.

"The MDC Alliance government that will get into power on July 30 will transform the economy is a short space of time and you can be asking yourself where I will get money to do all that, but I know where the money is. If $15 billion is stolen and the country's economy remains standing, it means it is strong," said Mr Chamisa.

"I want to assure you that if I get into power, Zimbabwe's economy will be better than South Africa's by 2023, far much better than Botswana's and the Zambian economy will be way, way below Zimbabwe's because we have the human resource base and natural resources, there are more than 60 minerals in this country."

Mr Chamisa said the land reform programme will not be reversed, but Command Agriculture, which has been used by Government to offer a helping hand for farmers who are struggling to access finance facilities from banks and raw materials from the market, will be also be scrapped and replaced by SMART agriculture, which will ensure that every village gets a tractor for draught power.

He reiterated his party's position to scrap the bond note in order to buttress the multi-currency regime.

He, however, disassociated himself from former First Lady Grace Mugabe, but remained mum on his connection with the first Family's pet political project, the National Patriotic Front.

"I hear there are some who are making false claims that I am going to appoint (Mrs)Grace Mugabe as my deputy president if I win elections. Grace?,Grace?,''he said.

MDC Alliance government, he said, will bring development to rural areas by connecting electricity and other amenities to improve the standards of living. Mr Chamisa also said the July 30 elections will not be held if the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) does not accede to the Alliance's demand.

At the rally, Zanu-PF outcast Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti was introduced as the MDC Alliance's parliamentary candidate for Mwenezi East.