Mujuru claims cannot go unchallenged

ZANU PF has over the years become adept at finding excuses for its shortcomings and is never known to take responsibility.

ZANU PF has over the years become adept at finding excuses for its shortcomings and is never known to take responsibility.

Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when Vice-President Joice Mujuru told the Zanu PF women’s league provincial conference at the Bulawayo Polytechnic on Sunday that the 21-year delay in the construction of the Nkayi-Bulawayo Road was due to hunger.

Mujuru said the government had to divert billions of dollars meant for capital projects to feed hungry Zimbabweans.

She said the Nkayi Road, which has often been cited as one of the examples that aptly demonstrate that the government pays lip service to the development of Matabeleland, was a victim of the government’s commitment to feed hungry Zimbabweans.

Only about 50km of the 170km road has been rehabilitated since 1993 and this has been happening at the expense of development in Matabeleland North province.

The Nkayi Road is just one of many projects in Matabeleland that have received scant attention from the Zanu PF government since independence.

Over the years, Zanu PF’s excuse has been sanctions that were only imposed after the year 2000.

Mujuru hit a new low with the hunger excuse that would certainly not have any takers. After all it is common knowledge that international donors have been feeding food insecure Zimbabweans for a long time.

The government’s drought relief programmes have just been but a drop in the ocean.

For Mujuru to now say billions meant for capital projects were channelled towards feeding people is the height of dishonesty.

The truth is that many capital projects have not been completed because the Zanu PF government has been failing to properly supervise their implementation.

Rampant corruption, lack of accountability and misplaced priorities are the real reasons the people of Nkayi have been prejudiced for so long.

Mujuru should not try to airbrush history because it would seriously harm her credibility.