Aspiring councillor for Ward 9 Masvingo Urban, Sylvester Chikondo, says he is confident of his chances both in the Zanu PF primaries this Sunday as well as the general elections later in the year owing to his “proven commitment to servant leadership”.
The people of Ward 9 deserve better. We have seen many councillors and many promises in the past but nothing has been done. I come with a new narrative, a new approach towards a leadership that is responsive to people’s needs,” said Chikondo, who is a school teacher by training and a businessman by occupation.
The youthful politician, who is the current secretary for the party’s Mgagao district, will sweat it out against four other contestants in the primaries.
He joined the party in 2004 and has held many positions ever since; including being branch political commissar and secretary for administration in the youth league.
“The people of Rhodene do not have a clinic. They have to go to Masvingo Provincial Hospital which is however a referral hospital where you cannot simply go with a minor illness. Council should be pushed to establish a clinic there.
“Service delivery should be improved. There is general infrastructural decay there yet we are the people who pay more rates to council. The other problem is the perception that all people in Rhodene are well up. That is a bad perception because needy families there are not being considered for welfare programmes by both government and civil society. We want to change that,” said Chikondo.politics

Jenya High School head Austin Hakunavanhu and his Pamushana High counterpart, Johnson Madhuku are some of the few practicing teachers who have made it onto the list of Zanu PF candidates cleared to take part in the party’s primary elections this Sunday.
Madhuku will contest for the right to represent Zanu PF in Bikita East while Hakunavanhu will fight it out to stand in Chivi Central on the ruling party’s ticket come the general elections expected in July this year.
In Bikita East, Madamombe High School head Josiah Sithole will also be hoping to wriggle his way past a coterie of other cadres who also want to take the parliamentary seat left by Jeppy Jaboon who was fired from the party last year.
The three ambitious school heads come as underdogs but judging from hindsight, they might spring a surprise in their respective constituencies since the ruling party’s primaries have produced a fair share of unprecedented outcomes in the past.
The three have vast experience in school administration, boasting fairly remarkable leadership records in the National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH).
Madhuku is the reigning NASH president, Hakunavanhu is the organisation’s Chivi district chairperson and Sithole is the provincial treasurer.
Their involvement with the ruling party, as is the case with Sithole, had all along been more flirtatious than apparent, probably due to the difficulties involved in striking a fine balancing act between one’s professional life and political ambition.
A breakthrough for Sithole entails defeating a host of other candidates; Augustine Tirivangani, Charles Dziro, Universter Mukwena, Clifford Mazodze, Wilson Makonya as well as former police boss and successful sugarcane farmer, Edmore Veterai.
It is also a crowded house in Chivi Central where five other competitors have been given the greenlight to contest, the most recognisable among them being Zanu PF national secretary for legal affairs and former MP Paul Mangwana, as well as the incumbent MP, Ephraim Gwanongodza.
Other candidates vying for the party ticket in Chivi Central are Priscilla Pondo, former MP Albert Chamwadoro and former soldier, Rtd Col Manasa Mahapa.
Chivi is notorious for shuffling out MPs every five years, but it remains to be seen whether or not Gwanongodza will be able to defy the precedent by retaining his seat and serving for a second consecutive term.
In Bikita East, the now late Kennedy Matimba, who had been MP since 2005, passed away on Tuesday April 17 after a short illness, leaving Madhuku to tussle it out against Douglas Ravasingadi, Ndonde Pedzisai and Oliver Mamombe.politics

ZVISHAVANE – Aspiring Member of Parliament for Zvishavane-Ngezi, Dumezweni Mahwite Mpofu (pictured) has rebuffed rumours that his campaign was being funded by former first lady Grace Mugabe’s flamboyant son, Russel Goreraza.
“Who is Russell, I don’t even know that person. How can he bankroll me when I stay here in Zvishavane and he stays in Harare? I am a businessman so why should I look for sponsorship from somewhere? This is just coming from my political rivals who just want to tarnish my image ahead of the primary elections,” said Mpofu
Mpofu will lock horns with deputy secretary for youth and politburo member Lewis Matutu, Kefas Maunganidze, little known Susan Sibanda and incumbent MP John Holder in the primaries slated for April 29.
There, however, have been widespread talk that the businessman was friends with Goreraza.
“Most people here now know where his money is coming from and how he intends to destabilise the party. Above all, Dumi doesn’t have any history in the party yet he has been given the go ahead to contest,” a party insider told TellZim News.
Others also said Mpofu intended to join Ambrose Mutinhiri’s National Patrotic Front (NPF) should he lose the primaries.
When contacted for comment, Goreraza claimed he did not even know who Mpofu was.
“I do not know anyone called Dumi or anyone with a campaign of any sort,” Goreraza responded on WhatsApp.politics

TellZim Reporter

CHIREDZI – War Veterans here last week endorsed Team Nhaka Yedu in a last ditch desperate bid to sideline alleged G40 MPs ahead of primary elections this Sunday.
All the MPs in Chiredzi; Darlington Chiwa, Kallisto Gwanetsa, Denford Masiya and Robert Mukwena were linked to the vanquished G40 faction but fervent attempts to get them expelled from the party after Operation Restore Legacy drew blanks.
Last week, Chiredzi district war veterans secretary general, Killiot Mukanya openly threw his weight behind Team Nhaka Yedu which includes Farai Musikavanhu (Chiredzi West), Roy Bhila (Chiredzi North), Obert Ngwenya (Ward 2 Urban) Aliginia Samson (women’s quota) and Francis Nhando (senator).
Speaking during a meeting held in Section 28, Triangle, Mukanya said it was high time people dumped ‘grocery MPs’ and moved for something better.
“We need to teach you how to vote properly for better leaders as votes are more powerful than even bullet. Be cautious when electing your leaders.
“We support people with a vision, not those who buy beer and drinks for the people. We need someone who constructs permanent structures like bridges and schools. Musikavanhu and Bhila constructed a block at Kushinga Primary School and also at Batanai. Musikavanhu had also wanted to construct a bridge but was let down by people who have no brains,” said Mukanya.
The event was attended by many people including Musikavanhu, Bhila, Samson, who is Bhila’s mother-in-law, and Obert Ngwenya.
The victorious Team Lacoste camp here has been divided due to political misunderstandings, with provincial political commissar Jevas Masosota, who is vying for Chiredzi East parliamentary seat, taking sides in the other areas.
He is backing Ronald Ndava for Chiredzi North, Francis Moyo for Chiredzi West, Ailes Baloyi for Chiredzi South and Titus Maluleke who is Ndava’s father-in-law.
Chiredzi North MP Mukwena is lying low and is not on the list of contestants as he reportedly refused to apply.
Many people say he is contemplating joining the National Patriotic Front (NPF) which is led by Ambrose Mutinhiri.politics

Brighton Chiseva in Zaka

Prominent businessman and academic, Clemance Chiduwa (pictured), has taken Zaka East by surprise as he has emerged to be one of the favourite candidates despite his late entry onto the campaign trail.
Chiduwa is becoming more popular everyday as the people in the constituency are slowly but surely falling in love with his policies.
The aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) has become a role model for many young people in Zaka after he managed to establish a successful business at a tender age which has branches in many African countries.
Chiduwa is the founder and owner of the Institute for Capacity Development (ICD) which has branches in Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda and South Sudan among other African countries.
The organisation focuses on economic development.
Apart from running successful businesses, Chiduwa worked in various universities across Africa including Midlands State University (MSU) where he taught economics.
He once worked as a lead consultant for Namibia Airports Company (NAC). He also consulted for the National Treasury South Africa. He has also worked for as Writeshop Capacity Development Expert for UN – Habitat, African Union and African Development Bank.
If he manages to beat his contestants on Sunday, Chiduwa may become the first highly qualified Zanu PF candidate for Zaka East constituency.politics