…As three heavyweights eye Chiredzi Central
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Citizens Coalition for Change’s (CCC) Election Directorate is faced with a mammoth task ahead of candidate selection for Chiredzi Central constituency where equally matching candidates were nominated to represent the party in the coming 2023 watershed elections.
The party following nominated three equally matching candidates to represent the newly gazetted Chiredzi central parliamentary seat leaving their National Elections Directorate with a mammoth task during their second phase of candidate selection to pick the perfect candidate who will match Zanu PF’s Francis Moyo.
United Kingdom based businessperson John Manganye is one of the candidates who was nominated during the initial phase of selection.
Manganye who lost favour in the 2018 candidate selection for Chiredzi West constituency and later contested as an independent candidate is well known for breathing life at Chiredzi Town Council run Poly clinic after he donated state-of-art clinical equipment including wheelchairs, electric hospital beds, 2× 10 000 liter water tanks and an Ambulance to help women in the maternity wing which saw the maternity wing functional once again, relieving maternity pressure off Chiredzi General Hospital.
Manganye claims he has a vision of twinning Chiredzi Town with England’s Leeds for developmental purposes, which he said will only be easy for him whilst occupying a public office.
He is a holder on an Economics degree as well as Political Science.
Chiredzi Town Council vice chairperson and ward 3 councilor Ropafadzo Makumire, who seems to be the youngest of all was also nominated to stand for the party in Chiredzi Central.
Makumire, who is a part time Lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University, is a Director of Planning Services and Urban Design of a town planning consultancy company, Makums Town Planning Consultancy in Chiredzi and also a Holder of Master’s degree in Urban Design with the National University of Science and Technology.
He also studied Civic Leadership at the Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina in 2021.
Makumire has been vibrant in bringing justice on the development of 750 hectare joint venture project between Chiredzi Town Council and Chiredzi Rural District Council, which Full Life Open Arms Africa Investments (FLOAAI), who is the developer, is already selling pieces of undeveloped land to desperate home seekers without the knowledge of both councils.
Gibson Hwende who was recently officially declared as the town’s second Alderman is also in the race to represent the party in the coming general elections.
Hwende, who is the current Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson can count several developments which he achieved with the help of other seven councilors whom he led.
He managed to increase service vehicles for the local authority in both the Housing and Engineering department, purchased a refuse truck, tractors and dumpers and is currently waiting for the delivery of a Fire Tender.
Hwende is a holder of a Master Degree in Public Sector Management with the Africa University.
