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.
