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Elliot Ziwira Senior Features Writer
Presidential hopeful Mrs Violet Mariyacha, leader of the United Democracy Movement (UDM), has said if given the mandate to govern, her party’s main focus would be to inject enough cash into the economy to clear bank queues within three weeks.
Liquidity challenges which the country faces at the moment, Mrs Mariyacha said, were self-inflicted.

“The cash crisis is a man-made problem because banking is an issue of trust, and trust is earned,” she said.
“Zimbabweans have lost trust in the Government and the banking system.
“The reason why there is no money in the formal system, and a lot of cash in the streets is loss of trust; and it is that trust that we intend to earn as a government if we are elected into office.”

Mrs Mariyacha — a human rights activist, author, singer and businesswoman — said Zimbabwe was endowed with enough mineral resources, as well as competent human capital to change outcomes for citizens within a short period of time.

“Zimbabwe is a rich country, full of minerals, wildlife, good soils and vast water bodies, which can all be put to good use to change livelihoods,” she said.

“The major stumbling block to progress in all spheres; social, political and economic, is corruption. We are, therefore, going to make legislative changes to the judiciary system so that those bent on bringing down our country through corruption are brought to book.”

The 61-year-old aspiring leader of Zimbabwe expressed displeasure at the way national wealth was distributed, which tended to reward a few and impoverish the majority; a situation that she said required a shift in mindset for it to be rectified.
“It is our strong conviction as UDM that the wealth of the country is in wrong hands,” she said, “The situation that is prevailing is that the few that benefit get richer and the majority are relegated to poverty, because they are powerless. It is, indeed, a worrisome trend.

“Our main focus is to change that status quo so as to eradicate poverty. We are offering the electorate genuine change in every aspect of their lives, economically, socially and politically. Zimbabweans will start enjoying lifestyles, which are more or less the same as in the Western world or other developed countries.”

Through presiding over a new breed of selfless politicians, Mrs Mariyacha pledged to create jobs for the majority of Zimbabweans, especially women and youths; provide free education from Grade One to Form Six and avail free health facilities for the poor.

The UDM leader said her target was 52 percent of the electorate as they were fielding close to a 100 National Assembly candidates for the July 30 harmonised elections, and have been able to freely campaign across the country.

As a mother, Mrs Mariyacha implored the electorate to vote for her to get a motherly response to their challenges.
“Only a mother can understand the pains that Zimbabweans are going through,” she said. “As such, only a mother can heal the deep emotional, psychological and physical wounds that our people are going through; a mother understands the essence of peace, unity and fairness.”