ZIMBABWE holds elections on Wednesday July 31 with the three main political parties, Zanu PF, MDC and MDC-T promising voters a number of policies to turn around the fortunes of the troubled country.
Report by Nduduzo Tshuma
Below are brief presentations of the plans that the parties propose to do follow they be voted into power. Zanu PF The Zanu PF manifesto is largely hinged on the indigenisation of foreign-owned companies.
According to the party’s manifesto, the party if elected into power, wants to create value of $7,3 billion from the indigenisation of 1 138 companies across 14 key sectors of the economy.
The party wants to create more than $1,8 billion from the idle value of empowerment assets unlocked from parastatals, local authorities, mineral rights and claims and from the State, to capacitate Agribank with $2 billion to finance the stimulation of agricultural productivity.
Zanu PF wants to capacitate IDBZ with $3 billion to finance the rehabilitation and construction of physical infrastructure; and $2 billion to finance the rehabilitation of social infrastructure and to capacitate Sedco with $300 million to fund innovative women’s and youths initiatives.
The party says its initiative would create 2,265 million jobs across key sectors of the economy and contribute to export earnings, food security and to the fiscus, among many other benefits including, urban housing and construction or peri-urban farms acquired during the land reform exercise.
The party says its empowerment initiatives will see an average gross domestic product growth rate of 9% by 2018 up from the current 4,4%.
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Zanu PF intends to build 250 000 low-income housing units and 1 250 public houses and buildings will be rehabilitated.
Zanu PF says it will create 2 500 shell factories, flea and vendor market stands and construct 310 clinics, 300 schools and a new Parliament complex in Mt Hampden.
The party plans to fund the presidential scholarship programme, among other programmes targetted at the youth and women.
The party says after winning polls, it plans to engage Britain, European Union, United States and the Commonwealth to unconditionally lift sanctions on the country. MDC The MDC is advocating for a national policy framework for reconstruction of the country anchored on devolution of power.
The party says it is convinced that devolution of power is the only way to foster prosperity in the country.
MDC says devolution would lead to sustainable economic transformation that will eliminate the prevailing status quo and usher in popular social democratic values and principles.
MDC says it will focus on devolving governance and take government to the people so that citizens define their own economic, political and social destiny.
“We shall decentralise all leadership and administration from a concentrated structure, so as to address issues of local employment, opportunities and ensure that civil service and public infrastructure works,” the party says in its manifesto.
The party adds that it will implement its devolution policies by promoting locally-driven economic productivity and value addition on the Zimbabwean resources like diamonds and tobacco.
The party promises proper utilisation of the country’s natural resources and utilisation of the currently dormant or underutilised human capital, as well as establishing participatory economic development.
It promises to stabilise Zimbabwe’s international relations to create markets and attract international partners as well as create a stable environment and opportunities that attract foreign direct investment.
It aims at reviving industry and national infrastructure for full productivity.
The party says it will seek to de-racialise land ownership so that every Zimbabwean who wants to own land is afforded that opportunity.
“This means a full land audit managed by the new land commission, being empowered to expose corruption, multiple farm ownership and causes of non-productivity.
“Where possible, all commercial farming land will be restored to the property market so that deserving citizens get title deeds.
MDC-T The MDC-T says its economic plan presented in the Jobs Upliftment Investment Capital Environment (Juice) will elevate the country into a stable, growing economy based on the rule of law.
The party promises to create more than one million jobs by 2018 and a $100 billion economy by 2040.
It says it will create a friendly environment for domestic and foreign direct investment, maintain a multiple currency regime through to 2018 and establish a wealth and equalisation fund.
On land, the party says it will compensate those who lost land during the land reform programme and carry out periodic land audits and establish a land commission.
MDC-T says it will establish a national healthcare service and insurance system, put in place incentives for the return of skilled medical professionals and unfreeze the hiring of nurses.
The party pledges free education for all, review salaries for teachers, promote indigenous languages and the reintroduction of grants and loans for tertiary education students.
MDC-T says it will also establish a gender commission and ensure that women have equal access to resources including land.
It says it would ensure that women have equal representation in all institutions and agencies of the government at every level in line with achieving 50-50 representation.
The party says it will conduct a national audit of people with disabilities by district and province, as well as provide access to medical, psychological and functional treatment for people living with disabilities. The party says it will also provide people living with disabilities with State-funded education and training.
