…Promises to officially launch the US$ 800 million dollar electrification deal
Beatific Gumbwanda
USWAUSHAVA-In a move that is likely to be the selling of another ‘dummy’ full of false promises as 2023 elections loom, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promised villagers in Chiredzi North that their homes would be electrified.
Mnangagwa has pinned hopes for the country’s economic recovery plan on Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s investors who have reportedly injected US$ 800 million towards the Rural Electrification Project set to benefit most rural areas as the latter is expected in the country at the end of this month to officiate the investment.
Mnangagwa who emulated Kagame’s model of community development in Rwanda, said the Rwandese President is set to unveil the US$ 800 million Rural Electrification Fund which he sourced from his friends at the end of this month.
Addressing scores of Zanu PF supporters in Uswaushava, Chiredzi on October 8, Mnangagwa said Kagame is set to visit Harare at the end October to unveil the fund which is going to light rural Zimbabwe as every household is set to benefit from the project.
“We have a programme coming at the end of this month. President Kagame of Rwanda is coming. I told him that Zimbabwe is on sanctions but I have a programme to electrify every household. President Kagame then spoke with his friends. Of course I know the friends but I cannot divulge them here and we were given US$ 800 million which he is coming to unveil,” said Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa publicly indicated that he was emulating the rate of development in Rwanda by president Kagame which is inclusive of all the communities.
“Kugara nhaka huona dzavamwe.(You can only partake in inheritance by copying from others) If you go to Rwanda, you will see well organized villages working together as one while the government chips in on the other side to assist. Everybody is assisted to come out of poverty,” added Mnangagwa.
Though the President’s vision towards economic recovery is commendable, he made some political statements which raised fear that most staunch opposition supporters in rural Zimbabwe will be left out of the development, the same way they are left out in other government assisted programmes.
President Mnangagwa added that those who will be left out of the programme will be a clear indication that they are not ‘Zimbabweans’
“So if we find your house without electricity, we will definitely know that you are not one of us. How come you were left out if you were one of us?” asked Mnangagwa.
However, during a meeting held on the side lines of the Africa Green Revolution Meeting, President Kagame advised Zimbabwe to instil trust in its own people in order to progress.
“You need to work hard to change the perception, you cannot bribe your way through it, you cannot just sweet talk some people, even if they say ok, we agree with you , things will not be fine.
“The way the people of their own country feel about what is happening, it will always come out before you even convince anyone from outside so that they cannot have a wrong perception about you, convince your own people.
“Make sure they are with you and say look, whatever you are saying, we feel there is change, so concentrate on making sure your people are involved, they are benefitting, they can themselves push back on this story of perception,” Kagame said at the meeting.
Mnangagwa was in Chiredzi North at Uswaushava Primary School for a thank you rally in the constituency which casted 45 000 votes in 2018 for the ruling party, more than any other constituency in Zimbabwe as it surpassed Uzumba Marambapfungwe which, over the years had been known to boost Zanu PF’s victories.
