By Paul Nyathi|Splinter MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe has called on the electorate not to vote for people who are making outrageous promises if they come to power.
Addressing about 2000 people at the launch of her party’s 2018 election manifesto in Bulawayo on Saturday, Khupe said people should vote for her party which is giving realistic promises through its manifesto dubbed “Building an Economy to Support Transformation” (BEST).
Khupe said the general elections present the people of Zimbabwe an opportunity to chart the course of their lives for the coming five years.
“The 2018 elections give the people of Zimbabwe a choice. Either you maintain the status quo of the false promises and continued suffering or you vote the BEST and restore decent lives and prosperity for all.
“The MDC-T government shall serve all regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or political affiliation. This manifesto is our social contract with the people. I have confidence that together we shall make 2018 elections the change we have always wanted,” she said.
Khupe said once elected into power, her party will prioritise rapid reindustrialisation, economic turnaround and job creations among other.
“We have an urgent task to transform the lives of the suffering majority who must regain their human dignity after years of impoverishment. The MDCT government shall prioritise economic rejuvenation through rapid-reindustrialisation and creation of decent jobs for all.
“…It is time that Zimbabwe changes from being an exporter of raw materials, especially our minerals, agriculture produce and timber to value addition of our raw materials. Value addition will not only give the country far much better returns buts shall also retain and create new jobs on the domestic Market.
“Our record as the MDC-T in service delivery speaks for itself from our short stint in the inclusive government. In a very short time, we managed to restore basic health care, education, water and other services which unfortunately have declined terribly since the end of our tenure. MDC-T government shall restore social services delivery and expand these services to all citizens in both rural and urban areas,” she said.
She said that once her party gets into government it will re-engage with the international community and all progressive forces for the country desperately need without selling its soul to the highest bidder.
“We are a both Pan Africanist and social democrats. We strongly believe in a democratic developmental state to play a significant role in the development trajectory. We believe in the right of workers to organise and for full respect of labour rights. Our economic growth and development must be pro-people,” said Khupe.
MDC-T (Khupe) becomes the second political party to launch its election manifesto the lunch of the Zanu PF manifesto and election campaign last week in Harare.