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DOP President threatens to ban 'omalayitsha', 'osiphatheleni'

by Staff reporter
02 Aug 2023 at 18:10hrs | Views
LEADER of the opposition, Democratic Official Party (DOP), and presidential candidate in the forthcoming harmonized elections, Engineer Peter Wilson, has pledged to ban cross-border transporters popularly known as ‘omalayitsha' should he win majority votes.

For him, omalayitsha are responsible for many illegal activities that frustrate the country's development and must, together with illegal money changers (osiphatheleni), be weeded out.

When he comes into power, Eng Wilson says he will also put in place policies that will see all vehicle owners paying US$100 yearly for check-ups so as to address road carnage in the country's roads as well as create employment.

He told Chronicle during an interview that b believes his party is the most visible on the ground and warned that other contestants will be shocked when he romps to victory come August 23.

Eng Wilson dismissed as cheap talk that his party is just a mere bride maid in the forthcoming elections saying he has what it takes to lead Zimbabwe.

"On the ground, we are very visible and we are the only ones with posters in town (Bulawayo). People will be very surprised because we are coming at it, the race is not over and we are giving proper and larger plans to bring the country to a level where people start working, generate employment, and resuscitate the industries," he said.

"People are overwhelmed with the plans that we are bringing because we are looking at generating work and getting people to work."

Pledging to create a conducive environment for people to make money and foster development, he said the influence of cross border transporters and illegal money hangers was not good for the economy.

"We need a stable way of getting money. Lokhu okwaboSiphatheleni and omalayitsha is not good and I will ban that," said Eng Wilson.

"They cannot come here. Those omalayitsha should go back to South Africa and will not cross the border from South Africa, that should be stopped.

"They are introducing many unlawful things like human trafficking for money. Goods are stolen from South Africa and dumped in the market because at the border they do not look at that. We must get a new way of getting things moving," said the aspiring presidential candidate.

"Out there we have got a traffic system that is not working. Vehicles on streets are very old, and I will introduce a yearly minimum fee of US$100 for every vehicle to be inspected in the country thereby creating employment for mechanics, auto electricians and others in this industry."

Eng Wilson said under his government, proactive policies will be crafted to stop people from migrating to other countries to look for employment, adding that his party`s main thrust was to take the country to another level of development

"Zimbabwe is a beautiful country, it has beautiful people abantu abazwisisayo and respectful. We are hungry due to high unemployment rate as there is no work but we will address this. We will do this through sectors such as mining, agriculture, education and trades and training to have a fully working economy," he said.

Eng Wilson said his party is connected throughout the country hence it merged with some leaders of other parties that contested in the 2018 presidential elections who are contesting as members of parliament.

He said it was now too late for political parties to complain about how elections are conducted in the country as it will disenfranchise voters.

"It's not wise complaining when the horse has pulled out of the cart, you are not going to change anything now ibhiza seligijima endleleni. You have to run with the flow as Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has its job to do and a normal person on the street knows they have to vote to get our problems solved," he said.

Eng Wilson said he was campaigning across the country that he will be launching his star rallies in the coming weeks to lure more voters.

"My philosophy is that if you are a Zimbabwean and got an ID, you have to create yourself a national opportunity by having a bank account. My government will allow every Zimbabwean to able to get a loan to do projects for themselves. We will make it our duty to give people opportunities to be able to pick themselves up," he said.

Source - The Chronicle
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