Masvingo chair assures Zanu-PF victory

Published: 20 June 2018

The Zanu-PF national leadership has been told not to lose sleep over the ruling party's electoral prospects in Masvingo with party provincial chair Ezra Chadzamira promising President Mnangagwa a crushing victory in the province in the coming harmonised elections slated for July 30.

Speaking to a capacity crowd at Mucheke B Arena last Friday where President Mnangagwa and his deputy Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga headlined a contingent of Zanu-PF leaders who graced a ruling party campaign rally, Chadzamira said the province was solidly behind the ruling party's First Secretary.

He said Masvingo was a "one-party state" under the firm stranglehold of the ruling party and would deliver a thumping win for Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa in the coming elections.

He said the capacity crowd at Mucheke B Arena was testament to the solid support for President Mnangagwa in Masvingo, which also happens to be the President's "home'' as the Zanu-PF First Secretary's origins can be traced back to Chivi district.

"You have come home, President where you started the long and arduous journey in the fight for the liberation of this country. We heartily welcome you to this province from where the country's name is derived,'' said Chadzamira.

"We want to let you know our President that Masvingo is solidly behind you, we are united behind you, this province is a 'one-party state' and we are solidly behind you and no one will divide us in our quest to deliver victory for you and Zanu-PF in the forthcoming harmonised elections.''

President Mnangagwa's liberation war script started being written in Masvingo where as a member of the famous "Crocodile Gang'', together with late national hero William Ndangana, he bombed a Rhodesian locomotive at Masvingo Railway Station in 1964 in the company of his colleague Mathew Malowa.

The Zanu-PF First Secretary, then known by his nom-de-guerre, "Trabablas" or "Trabablas Dzokerai Mabhunu'' was subsequently arrested for the heroic act by the colonial regime and earned a death sentence that was later commuted to a decade behind bars on an age technicality.

Chadzamira promised President Mnangagwa a resounding victory saying Masvingo was happy with its historical association with the Zanu-PF leader.

"We (Zanu-PF Masvingo) will give you 26 seats out of 26 in this province in the coming elections,'' Chadzamira assured President Mnangagwa.

"We will repeat the same feat achieved in the last elections in 2013 (when Zanu-PF bagged all the seats), but the only difference is that this time the numbers will be bigger and better, Masvingo stands by Zanu-PF.''

The Zanu-PF Masvingo chair dismissed opposition parties that will square up with the ruling party in the coming polls and equating them to pawns which cannot stand the heat in the bigger political chess game.

"Those (opposition parties) who bark are primary school head boys and do not be cowed we are solidly behind you and we will deliver victory," he said.

Chadzamira paid glowing tribute to President Mnangagwa and the new dispensation for prioritising economic development over politics.

He said Masvingo was set for epoch-making socio-economic transformation thanks to the impending re-opening of Mashava Asbestos Mine and the CSC plant in the country's oldest town both of which will create more than 6 000 direct jobs.

"You (President Mnangagwa) came here to re-open Mashava Mine and the CSC plant which is a clear indication that your administration puts fixing the economy ahead of politics and Zimbabwe will never be the same again. We are very grateful for your leadership, our President,'' said Chadzamira.

The looming re-opening of Mashava Mine and the CSC plant in Masvingo coupled with the envisaged expansion of lithium mining at Bikita Minerals and a planned irrigation greenbelt around Tugwi-Mukosi Dam in Chivi is expected to catapult the province to the zenith of socio-economic development in Zimbabwe.
- chroncile

Tags: Zanu-PF,