…promises to address problems they failed for 8 years
Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – Zanu PF Masvingo provincial leadership last week took their campaign to Chingwizi area in Mwenezi where the 2014 Tugwi-Mukosi flood victims were relocated and are still living in deplorable conditions.
The leaders promised the people of Chingwizi ‘heaven on earth’ if they vote for Zanu PF in the upcoming elections pledging to address their problems mainly centred on land and accommodation as well as infrastructural development which they have failed for the past eight years.
The visit was however necessitated by the need to secure votes for the ruling party as the 26 March by-elections draw closer, with uncertainty on Chingwizi community’s political loyalty making the ruling party jittery.
Chingwizi area falls under Mwenezi East constituency, one of the only two constituencies with by-elections in the province alongside Chivi South.
The seat fell vacant following the death of its legislator Joosbi Omar in 2020 and three candidates are readying themselves for the seat.
During the visit, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira said the people in Chingwizi were so many that they deserve to be a constituency on their own and said Zanu PF will rely on their votes on the by-election as well as 2023 elections.
He said he had noted their problems and would take it up to the President Emmerson Mnangagwa so that they are addressed in time.
“We have been sent here by the president, he knows that this ward is bigger than many constituencies and it deserves to be a constituency on its own hence it is a very important ward for Zanu PF,” said Chadzamira.
He went on to confirm the bad state of roads in the area and hunger that is likely to affect people as crops are already showing signs of moisture distress and said government was developing Mwenezi through road rehabilitation and the construction of a Marula Plant at Rutenga among other things.
“I talked to the District Coordinating Chairperson (DCC), have brought him here and told him that all other places are better and there is no need for food hand outs. All the food aid should be brought here. No discrimination whatsoever, everyone should benefit despite having children in South Africa or so.
“Construction of the Tende–Runde dam will start this year and will benefit the people of Mwenezi through irrigation and soon you will start donating food to other areas,” said Chadzamira.
However, that seems to be just another empty promise to the electorate since the people of Chingwizi were supposed to benefit from the Tugwi–Mukosi Dam which displaced them.
“The president has noted that you were affected by Tugwi-Mukosi and people from here should benefit from it, you worked well with our government department who were doing the planning and the first phase has already been completed. We are going to have another meeting soon for implementation. The canal has already been pegged and what is left is the money to make sure that the water reaches here. You will soon be food donors as there will be no food challenges here,” said Chadzamira
Zanu Pf Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana who hails from Chivi told Chadzamira that he has to address the Chingwizi people’s problems as a matter of urgency saying the people were originally from his home area.
He also urged the people to vote for Zanu PF and Makope in the coming by-elections so that the leaders would be able to convince the president to address their problems.
Mangwana said he received complains about the welfare of the people and ordered Chadzamira to quickly address the problem.
“I heard complains about your welfare here, Minister, I come from Chivi and all these people here are from Chivi, so if they are not staying well here it troubles my soul, so address their problems.
“We have already given Makope a duty here, we know he is a candidate but he has to start working as an MP. So I want him to start addressing your problems. Vote for him so that we have the power to go to the president and tell him that you love him. We need to show him the results to prove to him that you love him because of how you would have voted. Vote well and I assure you with my colleagues here, we will raise the issue to the president,” said Mangwana.
Another politburo member and Gutu South legislator Pupurai Togarepi told Chadzamira to honour his pledge of addressing Chingwizi problems as soon as possible.
“Minister we heard you saying you will address challenges here in Chingwizi, let it not take six months to address, it has to take a few days. When we come to celebrate Makope victory, we need to hear that this problem has been addressed,” said Togarepi.
