SYDNEY SAIZE IN MUTARE
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister, Monica Mutsvangwa has urged Chikanga -Dangamvura constituency voters to avoid, “the Bhora Musango” strategy that saw the governing party losing the seat to the opposition in the 2018 elections.
ZANU-PF central committee member and Mutare businessman Esau Fungai Mupfumi, is eyeing the Chikanga-Dangamvura constituency in the forthcoming by-elections scheduled for March 26, 2022.
Mupfumi will be squaring up against the opposition candidates Prosper Chapfiwa Mtseyami of the Citizens Coalition for Change, musician-cum-politician Hosiah Chipanga of the Patriotic Party, Taurayi Mandipurwa of the MDC Alliance, and Anesu Zaranyika of the Truth Zimbabwe Party.
Mutsvangwa said Mupfumi has direct access to ZANU-PF ministers.
“It is pointless to vote for an opposition candidate who does not have access to us in government.
“It is desirable to vote for one of your own who will not have to book an appointment, for example to talk to me on your concerns,” Mutsvangwa who was addressing hundreds of ZANU-PF supporters in Chikanga said.
She added: “Mupfumi will not need to book an appointment to meet me and have what is required in the constituency done.
“Same is with the councillors from ZANU-PF. We are the second Republic and your concerns with the first republic are being addressed.
“We have a listening first secretary of the party and President of the Second Republic in President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“It is all evident in what he has done to date for us to see. Disregard the past mistakes of the past and focus on the future. If you have grudges with Mupfumi, put that aside and move on as he is the face of our party, (ZANU-PF).
“We need to be one on this one (election), and have been working together with those that lost in the primary elections.”
She said Mutare as a city has suffered much under the leadership of opposition control and it is time that is addressed by voting in ZANU-PF MP and councillors and put the record straight that the second republic means what it says.
“We have seen our people suffer under the opposition control of cities like Mutare and that has to end. Roads in the city are the worst in the country, street lighting is none existent, while water is erratic.
“That would be addressed when we vote one of our own into positions,” Mutsvangwa said.
Mupfumi earlier on had raised concern over the continued closure of roads leading into high density residential suburbs with the contractors taking ages to finish thereby inconveniencing residents to take long alternative routes to get into the city.
He said water was inaccessible to most residents despite years of promises to deliver into their homesteads, adding that citizens are being made to fork out money to get electricity into their homes.
“It is a challenge to get electricity into the homes of our people. They are being called upon to fund themselves to get electricity into their homes as if we are in a rural set up. That is not good.
“People have no water in their homes, roads have been closed under the guise of reconstruction and tarring but it is taking ages to be finished. We cannot continue like this,” said Mupfumi.
