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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Former MDC-T policy advisor and Bulawayo legislator Mr Eddie Cross has admitted that the new dispensation has ushered in new investor confidence, with Government negotiating investment deals worth over $3 billion with thousands of prospective investors visiting every day.

Mr Cross said this while debating the Electoral Amendment Bill in the National Assembly yesterday.

He said there was need to maintain good investor confidence by having peaceful elections this year.

Mr Cross said the new Government led by President Mnangagwa had renewed interest in the country.

“At least 49 000 business visitors have come to Zimbabwe since the beginning of the year,” he said.

“I personally have been involved in contract negotiations valued at over $3 billion in the past two months.”

Mr Cross said he believes President Mnangagwa is sincere in his calls for free and fair elections.

Government has embarked on a massive drive to attract foreign direct investment into the country and a number of investors from across the world have been coming to explore opportunities.

President Mnangagwa also attended the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland, early this year and is expected to visit China, the world’s second biggest economy, next month as part of the drive.

The President is opening Zimbabwe up for investment through a number of initiatives meant to create a conducive environment for capital to flow into the country.

These include arresting corruption and amending the indigenisation law, which had scarred away potential investors. He hasalso been building bridges in the Sadc region and beyond.

Meanwhile, Buhera South representative Cde Joseph Chinotimba slammed the MDC-T for preaching peace when they were the forefront of perpetrating violence.

This followed the attempt to burn the party’s vice president Thokozani Khupe, secretary general Douglas Mwonzora and organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe during the funeral of its late leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera.

“This is a party that has harassed journalists and tried to burn the hut with its vice president and other leaders inside.

“How do they expect free and fair elections when they can not even hold free and fair elections within their party,” he asked.

“Elections can not be free and fair if people travel from Harare to go and beat up people in Bulawayo.”

The Electoral Amendment Bill is currently at its second reading stage and intends to regularise the establishment of a new voters’ roll through the bio-metric voter registration exercise, among other things.