Chamisa tables aggressive modernization agenda, 15 member Cabinet Ministers team
By Staff Writer
CITIZENS Coalition for Change leader , Nelson Chamisa has tabled an aggressive plan to modernize both urban and rural centers once he assumes office.
Addressing thousands of party supporters attending the Silobela rally Friday, the opposition leader condemned the current set up which has seen communities languishing in poverty despite being endowed with precious minerals.
He said once in office, communities will be allowed to determine how their natural resources are used.
“We want local people to determine how best they can develop their communities using resources in their localities. We are going to change the mind-set of saying everything must happen in Harare. We want to devolve power for sustainable development.
“We want to address the issue of rural upliftment. Our rural areas must be modernised and transformed. We will have a policy called MATURA (Modernisation, Agenda for the Transformation and Urbanisation of Rural Areas),” he said.
The most popular opposition leader bemoaned the manner in which mineral resources have been abused at the expense of citizens welfare.
He said the country has 60 minerals which are just adequate to transform lives had they not been abused for the benefit of a few individuals.
“Despite having gold deposits here in Silobela, people are impoverished. I was in Gokwe, despite it being a cotton hub, people there move around in rags, that’s because there is no leadership,” he said.
The opposition leader said his government once elected will cut government spending.
“We will have a meritocratic government of 15 ministers or less. That does not only cut government spending but also brings effectiveness in running a government. If a minister fails to deliver we will replace him,” he said.
He said the country’s hospitals must not be death traps, our hospitals must save lives.
“What we have on the ground currently is very saddening. We have a crumbled health system which has been allowed to collapse following years of neglect.
“Our leaders whenever they want medical attention they travel to South Africa, they travel to India. That will not be happening in our new government, we are going to restore our health systems so that we will retain our doctors who fled the country due to poor working conditions caused by an incompetent government,” Chamisa said.
“I find it strange that African doctors prefer to die in foreign countries where they will be seeking better treatment while they allow their own health systems to collapse,” he said.
