Branton Matondo
Mutare-Popular businessman-cum-politician and aspiring Mutare Central Member of Parliament Esau Fungai Mupfumi is certain of victory come the date when Zanu PF holds its primaries.
The party’s primary elections campaigns have reached boiling point as aspirant Mupfumi (who once lost in the past) is maximizing his final vote mobilization in Sakubva through resident engagements and rallies.
Addressing party members at City of Mutare Municipal offices in Sakubva, Mupfumi said the race is on and party members shall decide.
“The time for primaries upon us and remember this is an in-house electoral process. We do not encourage violence because there is no need to incite such. The thrust of the matter is to determine who can run faster than the other,” said Mupfumi.
The perennial campaigner is going to face the test of yet another party big wig, Big Byte supermarkets owner Resistance Mundembe.
Despite the stiff competition likely to be posed by Mundembe, Mupfumi promised party members that if he clinches the seat, Sakubva will witness ‘the genesis of change’.
“I will make sure that residents from Old Townships and Sakubva get title deeds for their houses before the end of year. Our mandate is to restructure roads in Sakubva not forgetting Sakubva River Bridge which has become a problem to residents. Street lights are of importance to the community and we take heed to people’s cries over continued power cuts.
“Sakubva is a stereotyped place that suffers such problems like extended power cuts because there is no leader. As Zanu PF, we seek for an immediate connectivity between the President of the State, Senator, Member of Parliament and the councillors across the board so that we facilitate change,” he added.
The Gold Class Coaches owner has also reportedly installed Wi-Fi at Beit Hall in Sakubva.
Zanu PF candidates will chose candidates for a total of 210 national assembly seats, 60 senatorial seats and 1 970 wards.
Zanu PF Central Committee member and former Mutasa South Member of Parliament Irene Zindi who is also running for a District Coordinating Committee (DCC) post for Mutare presented her candidature and backed up Mupfumi’s vote claiming that he is the right man for the post.
She called upon party supporters to consider her experience in the Manicaland.
“My presence here is to ask for your vote as DCC chair for Mutare district. I am not new to Mutare. Under the leadership of the party, I have carried out construction works in Chikanga when I was Mutasa South Member of Parliament. The construction of Chikanga market place is a testimony that there should be no doubt of my abilities,” said Zindi.
Women participation in wards within Sakubva has also taken centre stage with Vendors4ED leader Cecilia Gambe vying for ward 2.
“For the past years, I have been attending to residents’ problems without an office, what more if I have a post. I confirm that in Old Townships residential areas people were given 14 day notices recently. We have contacted council and the issue has been resolved. The issue is to offer free residence, jobs creation through projects, and do away with confiscation of houses. Time for violence is over; with undoubted belief, your vote will confirm me as ward 2 councillor,” said Gambe.
Other businesspersons in the primaries are Herentials Group of Colleges owner Innocent Benza and football administrator Farai Jere who are gunning for Mutasa Central and Murewa West constituencies respectively.
Zanu PF party’s primary elections candidates’ CVs are still being scrutinized by the party’s National Elections Directorate and Security Department as announced recently by national Political Commissar Dr Mike Bimha.
