Zanu PF regime is now a mafia organisation

Recent press reports to the effect that Zanu PF has splashed no less than US$60 million in importing brand new motor vehicles and buses for their 2018 election campaign are most startling and indeed, extremely worrisome and disturbing. The MDC, being a social democratic political party that believes in constructing and moulding a responsible and law - abiding welfare state, would like to register its utter contempt and complete disgust at the profligacy and financial impropriety that has become the hallmark of the collapsing and faction - infested Zanu PF regime.

Fundamentally, the source of the money that Zanu PF used to purchase more than 365 motor vehicles and buses remains shrouded in secrecy. The MDC also calls upon Zanu PF, as the ruling party, to provide proof of whether import duty was paid for these imported vehicles and if so, how much was paid, where and when. Our own investigations as a political party have discovered some very scary facts about this recent acquisition of motor vehicles by the Zanu PF regime. We are thoroughly convinced that the source of the money that was used to import the vehicles borders on high level and institutionalised criminality.

Illicit diamond sales and the illegal sale of the country's wildlife are the most likely source of the money that Zanu PF used to import these vehicles. We also have it on very good authority that Zanu PF did not pay import duty for these vehicles and in this respect, therefore, we challenge the revenue authority, ZIMRA, to provide concrete and credible proof that import duty was paid. In fact, the ruling elite within the rabidly corrupt Zanu PF regime is in the habit of smuggling various items and commodities for their personal use and also for the supplies to their various struggling business enterprises. Put bluntly, smuggling being practised by Zanu PF as a political party and members of the ruling elite is costing the country millions if not billions of United States dollars in lost revenue every year. Only the small political fish and ordinary Zimbabweans are bearing the honourable task of paying import and customs duty when they bring in goods into Zimbabwe. The big political gladiators within the Zanu PF regime hardly, if at all, pay customs and import duty when they bring in goods from their several and apparently endless shopping trips abroad.

Zimbabwe has virtually collapsed into a fully - fledged Mafia state in which the ruling elite is answerable to no one. As a result of the rampant high level smuggling that has become the norm in the country, essential government services such as the provision of affordable health and education facilities for the majority of the people cannot be adequately funded by the national treasury. Our national roads as well as the railway system have all but collapsed due lack of regular rehabilitation and maintenance. Essentially, therefore, the Zanu PF regime has mutated into a rogue and completely irresponsible Mafia outfit.

The people of Zimbabwe deserve to be governed by a responsible, honest and law abiding political party and of course, Zanu PF doesn't fit into this bill. The time for change is now! The people of Zimbabwe have suffered enough.

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