Biti outlines MDC Alliance's economic agenda

Published: 04 September 2017

The MDC Alliance will present to the people a detailed economic blue print in the near future, PDP leader Tendai Biti has said.

Speaking at the Bulawayo Launch of a Pre-Election pact involving seven political organisations on Saturday, Biti said a grand plan will be part of the package of the grand coalition.

"The alliance we are forming must offer deliverables to the people of Zimbabwe, a tangible program to the people of Zimbabwe, the first thing we will do is to write a program of action on the economy, we will present the document to the people of Zimbabwe."

Biti mentioned that the experience gained by team members in the alliance during the tenure of the Government of National Unity would ensure the coalition delivers jobs.

During this period which was around four years, the economy grew on an average of 7% annually. In 2011, the economy grew by 11% in GDP terms making it the fastest growing economy in the world, Biti was recognised as the best Finance Minister on the African continent for the achievement.

"We have friends, we have comrades, we have countries that trust us to allow their companies to come and invest in our country."

He said with the GDP at 12 billion it means growing the economy at the rate of 7% per annum it means a 100 billion dollar economy is achievable within 15 years.

According to Biti the Alliance would also prioritise attending to the infrastructure in the country.
‘We have an energy crisis in Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe are subjected to blackouts, I want to promise on behalf of the alliance that we can create 4000 megawatts of electricity starting from Victoria Fall."

"Our road network in Zimbabwe adds up to 88 000 kilometres but only 10% of those roads are paved however Zimbabwe is now the pothole capital of Africa worse off than countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, on behalf of the alliance I want to say we will make a difference on the state of our roads."

Biti also outlined the alliance's commitment to the social agenda lamenting the state of public hospitals and schools in Zimbabwe.

He highlighted the need for transforming the people's lives after failure by the ZANU-PF government to deliver since independence.

"As one of the leaders of the alliance I am at pains to reconcile with the fact that a majority of our people are still using the bush as a bathroom 37 years after independence, in countries like Rwanda grass thatched huts are now history.

"This alliance will deal with the issue of rural underdevelopment, Mugabe's achievement was to ensure we remain poor, his biggest achievement was to under develop the black person; the black man and the black woman.

"On behalf of the alliance I want to make a promise, I want to make a pledge that the defining characteristic of the alliance is that it will deliver because what brings us here is the quest to make a difference, the quest to create change, the quest to bring transformation for the people we love so much, the people we are prepared to die for."

He appealed to Zimbabweans and democrats to be cognisant of the fact that the people of Zimbabwe are suffering therefore must be in support of unity so as to give the people a chance. "This unity cannot and should not be a cause for disunity."

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai echoed the same sentiments; he said political actors must not be divided around ethnicity. Professor Welshman Ncube, Jacob Ngarivhume and Rt Brigadier Agrippa Mutambara addressed the rally which was attended by supporters of all the parties in the alliance.

Biti was accompanied by PDP Deputy President Kucaca Phulu, Management Committee and National Working Committee members. The Principals of the alliance will launch the pact in all the provinces in Zimbabwe.

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