‘Opposition now weak in urban areas’

URBAN constituencies are no longer strongholds for opposition parties and Zanu-PF aspiring candidates should not hesitate to reach out to every citizen in towns and cities, as they go about campaigning for the July 30 harmonised elections, Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman has said.

Addressing party supporters during the launch of a door-to-do campaign programme for Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency held in Chikanga on Tuesday, Cde Michael Madiro said the ruling party had since surpassed opposition parties’ support in urban areas.

Cde Esau Mupfumi is Zanu-PF candidate for Dangamvura-Chikanga in the National Assembly.

“Do not hesitate to campaign and approach people in urban areas when campaigning thinking that towns are for opposition parties only,” said Cde Madiro. “Go and tell them the good things about Zanu-PF since the ruling party has now amassed a lot of supporters in towns.”

Cde Madiro expressed confidence that Zanu-PF would win in all urban areas in Manicaland, including Dangamvura-Chikanga and Mutare Central constituencies.

Cde Nancy Saungweme is the Zanu-PF candidate for Mutare Central constituency.

“Opposition parties have been running urban councils for many years and they have done nothing besides claiming to have a lot of following,” said Cde Madiro.

“Beyond that, there is nothing that they have offered.

“If you look at our towns, you will realise that they are inhabitable. Poor service delivery and dilapidated infrastructure characterise most cities, which have been run by the opposition.”

Cde Madiro urged people to vote for Cde Mupfumi and Cde Saungweme, saying they would bring economic development and resuscitate economic and socio amenities that were destroyed by opposition parties during the time they were running the councils.

He said Cde Mupfumi made great strides in reviving Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency during the short period he assumed the parliamentary role after being elected into office in a 2015 by-election.

“You should put in office people who are catalysts for development, people who promote development and people who listen to you and are conversant with the economic problems people are facing,” said Cde Madiro.

He took a swipe at MDC Alliance representative for Mutare Central Innocent Gonese for boasting to have been elected ‘only’ to represent them in Parliament, while abandoning their problems.

“I was saddened to read in the newspapers of an opposition party member who will be contesting in Mutare Central for boasting of only playing his legislative role and not care about the people,” said Cde Madiro.

“Those are the same people who go back to the residents demanding rates for services they are failing to deliver. This is were we say vote for people like Cde Mupfumi, who will bring development and listen to the people’s economic challenges.”

Cde Mupfumi appealed for the Zanu-PF leadership in Manicaland to engage Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga to get things going in attending problems faced by people in urban areas.

He said he wanted VP Chiwenga to rescue rate payers whom he said were being forced to pay for services not rendered.

Cde Mupfumi said people from Gimboki area had not had their pieces of land regularised for quite some time.

“We are appealing to the Vice President to come and address the problem of rates, which has been troubling people for a long time,” he said. “People are being cheated by council and forced to pay rates for services that have not been rendered.”