Why I ran for Parliament — Cde Modi
CDE Raj Modi got the nickname “Mdawini wabantu” while knocking on doors in Bulawayo South during the election campaign period.
If President Mnangagwa had not been chosen to lead Zanu-PF that nickname could never have been as Cde Modi only stood after the President’s call-to-arms. His unshakable belief in the Commander-in-Chief meant that the call was not something he could ignore.
“I have been a member of Zanu-PF since 2003, but it is only after President Mnangagwa came to office that I decided to be active. He is one man that I never want to disappoint,” Cde Modi said.
On 22 November 2017, Cde Modi was glued to his TV screen to watch and listen to President Mnangagwa’s speech at the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare. So when President Mnangagwa told the nation that Zimbabwe was witnessing the birth of a new democracy, Cde Modi decided there and then that he would run for the Bulawayo South Constituency National Assembly seat.
“I believe in President Mnangagwa and I have always believed in him. His message in November was a challenge, if you believed in his works, of which I did, and I do, then it was time to stand with him,” Cde Modi said on the eve of the elections.
The award winning businessman said President Mnangagwa was an inspiration to many like him, who doubted they could be allowed to represent Zanu-PF in the elections.
Cde Modi said: “I doubt that if it was someone else in charge, I could have been allowed to contest. That shows you the kind of person he is. He is the type of leader who should lead and serve us and I am happy that the people voted for him. I do everything in his name, not because I want a reward, but because it is what is right.”
Born and raised in India, Cde Modi, who acquired Zimbabwean citizenship in 1987, is one of the few, if not the only migrant of Asian origin who is active in politics in Zimbabwe.
“We have a leader who does not look at one’s skin colour. We have a leader who looks at the merits of individuals. Why should I see myself as an alien and not be active when my President says it does not matter? I don’t see myself as an Indian as much as I don’t see you as a black Zimbabwean. I only see a Zimbabwean. That’s how I have always looked at things in my personal and business life, it won’t be different in politics,” he said.
Cde Modi does not take lightly the responsibility he has been given. He is determined to give back to Bulawayo South for voting him.
“You are going to see a lot of developmental activities. But as you know already, I don’t promise, I do. So let’s work and let our work do the talking. I feel confident that Bulawayo South will prove to other constituencies the wisdom of voting for Zanu-PF. In 2023 we want to make sure that all Zanu-PF candidates win seats and that President Mnangagwa gets the most votes and we can only do that by working for the people.”