Cephas Shava

Mwenezi – As the countdown to the August 23 harmonised elections continues to shrink, battle lines have been drawn in Mwenezi District’s three constituencies namely Mwenezi North, West and East, where a total of seven candidates are battling for legislative tickets to represent respective constituencies with almost each candidate claiming to be the electorate’s favourite.
In the recently gazetted Mwenezi North Zanu PF’s Master Makope will square off with Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC)’s Patrick Mapfumo.
Makope (47), former Avhunga Secondary School head and Mwenezi RDC Chairperson is the outgoing Mwenezi East legislator having been elected through a by-election following the death of Joosbi Omar.
During his short stint as Mwenezi East legislator Makope has done fairly well in making himself available to the electorate such that there are high possibilities that the people of Mwenezi North where he hails from are likely to give him another opportunity for a full term to perfectly prove his worthiness.
Makope’s rival Mapfumo (54) a prominent Neshuro businessman popularly known as Chitakuramatenga told TellZim News that he is ready for victory and had won the hearts of people in Mwenezi North.
“We are using various tactics to reach the electorate and the situation on the ground speaks for itself. I can confidently tell you that victory is certain in this race. The people of Mwenezi North are promising victory come 23 August, “said Mapfumo.
The Mwenezi East contest is a race of political newcomers where Zanu PF’s Sheillah Chikomo is locking horns with CCC’s Martin Taruona (50).
The youthful Chikomo (33) whose political fame catapulted after winning the Zanu Pf primaries has a sketch political history though she had been making herself a name in Chingwizi, her home area, and had been spearheading some projects prior to the internal party polls.
One of the fiercest electoral combat in the district’s annals which many are watching with keen interest is in Mwenezi West where it’s a dog-eat-dog scenario for the contenders.
Incumbent Mwenezi West legislator, Priscilla Moyo (65) who is wife to Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Isaac Moyo is being challenged by Independent candidate Tafadzwa Shumba (43) and CCC’s Brilliant Chifumuro (48).

Shumba, a former Zanu Pf Central Committee Member who felt cheated in the party primaries and decided to go independent, vowed that he is destined for a landslide victory in the coming harmonised elections.
In the two previous consecutive Zanu Pf primary elections Shumba was a key contender and slightly lost to Moyo in the polls which he claimed were always rigged in favour of the incumbent.
“My message is very clear I am an Independent candidate contesting for Mwenezi west and I support President Mnangangwa. I have completed all the ground work and no amount of threats is going to deter my supporters,”
“After successfully submitting my nomination papers I was approached by some senior Zanu Pf National and provincial members asking me to withdrew my papers insisting that they will give me anything which I want but I turned down their offer because I cannot betray the people of Mwenezi West who include among others, local traditional leaders, church leaders and ordinary people who are solidly on my side,” Said Shumba.
On the other hand, CCC’s Chifumuro an ex-police officer is also confident of winning the contest to represent Mwenezi West Constituency.
Under normal circumstances, given that Shumba and Moyo will obviously be sharing a lions’ share of Zanu Pf votes in Mwenezi West, Chifumuro was supposed to have the last laugh but however given the past voting trend of the people of remote Mwenezi West Chifumuro needs extra work to convince the electorate to vote for the opposition.
Although remote rural communities like Mwenezi had since time immemorial been dubbed traditional ruling party strongholds, some local political analyst believes that the current economic turmoil coupled with unfulfilled promises which is being felt even in the distant part of the district are likely to trim the usual ruling party’s faithful support base.

Decide Nhendo

Masvingo Zanu PF youth league secretary for administration Charles Munganasa has said Zanu PF candidate for Masvingo Urban constituency Wellington Mahwende has a vision and plan for the development of Masvingo Urban constituency, if given an opportunity.
Speaking during a meet your candidate press discussion organized by TellZim News at Chevron Hotel recently Munganasa ,who was representing Mahwende, said the aspiring candidate was ready to work in line with Zanu Pf policies and mantra, ‘Vision 2030’ which aims at making everyone an upper middle income earner.
‘’Mr Mahwende is ready to follow Zanu Pf vision for development, which states that by 2030, Zimbabwe would be an Upper Middle Income Economy and people of Masvingo will benefit as well’’, said Munganasa.

He said under the leadership of Zanu Pf and Mahwende, Masvingo Urban citizens will be able to participate in affairs of their country, to make decisions that promote development in their respective constituency.
Munganasa went on to say in 2018 Mahwende won the elections to be councilor in ward 6 an opposition stronghold and went on to be elected deputy mayor where the opposition had majority and said that was clear testimony that Mahwende has what it takes to be the MP.
He went on to claim that Mahwende started a housing scheme that was affordable for the general people in Masvingo after council failed to provide housing for residents.
He encouraged voters to look at what Mahwende has achieved during the five years he was councilor and deputy mayor which includes the construction of Runyararo Clinic, Rujeko Secondary and other developments that were done under devolution giving credit to Zanu PF.

Beverly Bizeki

MASVINGO- Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) cried foul over an uneven political ground following arrests of two aspiring candidates who were arrested for conducting roadshow campaigns.
The two, Martin Mureri of Masvingo Urban and Pedzisai Gasva of Masvingo West constituency were arrested on July 12, 2023 and were fined ZW$150 000 each for criminal nuisance.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference, Gasva who was arrested together with Mureri said they had been advised that roadshows were not regulated under Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) and was now worried on whether or not Zimbabwe is a one party state.
“The police shocked us when they stopped our procession but surprisingly ZANU PF members were conducting their roadshows, uninterrupted, blocking roads. We are worried about this selective application of the law,”
“We are in election season but the playing field is not even. Our door to door campaigning teams are being interrupted. A few days ago the police came armed in Mucheke A where we wanted to hold a roadshow where we were just armed with fliers.
“We don’t know if Zimbabwe is a one party state or not if we are not allowed to campaign, if they don’t want us to campaign why did they accept our money at the nomination court if we are not being given space to campaign,” said Gasva.
He said they had applied to have rallies in Masvingo West three times but they were told different stories each time.
“As Masvingo West we have three application letters pending at the police and we are always told the dispol is not around so we are not sure if we are going to conduct our rallies. Now we do not know what to tell our suppoters,” said Gasva.
Mureri’s campaign manager Thomas Mbetu said what the police did was disturbing and said it shows there was no democracy in Zimbabawe and the police was biased.
“What shocked us is that we are being denied the chance to conduct roadshows but the MOPAdoes not regulate roadshows.
“We tried to seek police clearance on conducting roadshows but they (police) said roadshows are not regulated and there is no problem as long as we do not block other vehicles but we realized that it is almost like a taboo when we do our campaigns because when ZANU PF holds their campaigns they are not disturbed.
“As CCC we are not happy with how we are being treated with the police in Masvingo. If you say it is an election or if there is none let us just acknowledge that there is no election in Zimbabwe and no democracy and Zimbabwe is a one party state. But as it is our constitution permits us to campaign during this season to get the positions we want,” said Mbetu.
Masvingo urban ward 5 councilor Daniel Mberikunashe said the sudden turn on the part of the police was worrisome and shows bias.
“Yesterday’s events shocked us as we were conducting our roadshow because we had agreed with the police but we were shocked by the police coming to stop us from conducting our roadshow while at the same time ZANU PF members were having their roadshow in town.
“It shocked us on how we should campaign because we once went to the police together with Mureri and agreed together with the police on doing the roadshow. They also looked into the law which states that we must not be stopped from conducting roadshows,” said Mberikunashe.