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Sifelani Tsiko and Lincoln Towindo
WHAT was tipped to be one of Zimbabwe’s tightly contested elections since independence in 1980, appears to have ended up as a stroll in the park for a resurgent Zanu-PF whose candidates have made inroads into so-called MDC-T strongholds, giving an indication that the popularity the opposition seemed to enjoy among urbanites in the last three general elections had more to do with its virginity, once it was deflowered in the inclusive Government it became the village bicycle no suitor took seriously.

Among the constituencies labelled “no-go areas” which Zanu-PF is reported to have reclaimed are Mbare, Epworth, Mount Pleasant, Norton, Chitungwiza North, Chipinge Central, Karoi, Nyanga South, Mutasa South and Makoni Central.

ZEC was, however, still to officially announce results in all the constituencies last night.
But the MDC-T was said to have retained Mutasa Central, Musikanavanhu, Mutare Central, Dangamvura-Chikanga, Kuwadzana East, Southerton, Glen-View South, Kuwadzana and Glen-View, among others.

Whichever way one looks at it, the results emerging from polling stations in the last 48 hours paint a totally different pattern from what transpired in the last plebiscite.

Zanu-PF consolidated its massive support in rural areas, wresting back a significant number of seats it lost in 2008. It also inflicted serious damage in the MDC-T rear base. The MDC-T has always been known to gain leverage from mainly two pillars: trade unionism and civil society actors.

Of course, the terse sprinkling of academia here and there has given the party its complexion, a complexion that strongly points to the two conduits of support. It is a fact that the critical labour component resides in cities and towns.

And given the MDC-T’s roots in trade unionism, the party found it relatively easy to connect with the urban voter. The merits of what constitutes the relationship between the party and urbanites are material for another discussion.  But whatever it was, it has definitely faded.

President Mugabe and Zanu-PF are increasingly looking headed for a crushing landslide victory after making in-roads into MDC-T strongholds on the back of a well-subscribed indigenisation and empowerment programme.

Zanu-PF has made headway in Harare and has also won overwhelmingly in Masvingo and Manicaland. The party also swept clean seats in Mashonaland Central, West and East provinces.

Zanu-PF candidates contend that a vigorous campaign spearheaded by President Mugabe, whom some critics claimed was too old to mount any effective challenge, the re-organisation and restructuring of the party and lessons learnt from the poor 2008 showing, spurred the party to victory.

They also say preliminary indications show that President Mugabe and Zanu-PF enjoy genuine and massive support from Zimbabweans.
In Harare, Zanu-PF is said to have wrestled away the Mount Pleasant National Assembly constituency where senior MDC-T official Mr Jameson Timba was the immediate past legislator.

The seat is said to have gone to Zanu-PF’s Cde Jaison Passade.

An ecstatic Cde Passade told The Herald that the empowerment programmes being championed by the revolutionary party were key in breaking MDC-T hegemony.

“The party’s empowerment drive has won us this seat. The people of Mount Pleasant chose to be empowered ahead of being promised jobs.
“Unlike the MDC-T which failed to deliver on its promises, Zanu-PF has a proven track record of walking the talk and I believe this also swung the pendulum in our favour,” Cde Passade said.

The party’s Harare provincial chairman, Cde Amos Midzi, said he had won the Epworth seat.
Cde Midzi said his victory was driven by the electorate’s realisation that the MDC-T was a project of the West.

“This victory is not surprising at all because the electorate had long realised that the MDC-T failed to deliver on the promises it made as they sought to win this seat in 2008,” he said.

“On our part, I believe President Mugabe’s message of indigenisation and empowerment resonated with the people and they showed confidence in us by giving us their vote. During my campaigns, we started implementing some of the programmes contained in the manifesto and these are already having a positive impact on the lives of the people of Epworth.

“As a party, we also worked hard to strengthen the party from the grassroots and I believe this has also yielded dividends.”
MDC-T candidate for Southerton Mr Gift Chimanikire said he expected to win the seat.

Accepting the poll outcome as a true reflection of the people’s will, Mr Chimanikire also said he now looks forward to implementing projects in the constituency.

“I expected to win because I have been working with the people in my constituency since the day I was elected. Though I faced spirited opposition, I knew that my record would see me through,” said an ecstatic Mr Chimanikire.

“People should expect development and job-creation for women and youths.”
MDC-T women’s assembly chairperson Mrs Theresa Makone refused to comment, so did Ms Lucia Matibenga, who said votes were still being tallied in Kuwadzana constituency where she stood for the National Assembly seat.

The country’s former ambassador to China, Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, confirmed landing the Norton National Assembly seat.
“The people have realised how incompetent the MDC-T has been and have chosen to back a party with a proven track record. The MDC-T has been judged harshly for failing to deliver,” he said.

Zimbabwe Newspapers board chairman Dr Paul Chimedza was also in a celebratory mood yesterday after winning the Gutu South National Assembly seat.

“Our victory was always guaranteed,” he said.

“The Zanu-PF policies resonate with the people while on my part I have been working tirelessly to improve lives in the constituency over the past decade,” he said.

Former Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairman Mr Godwills Masimirembwa who was vying for Mabvuku-Tafara said he would continue working in the constituency despite his defeat at the hands of former disc jockey James Maridadi.

“We are yet to ascertain what went wrong because we had done a lot in the constituency.
“As Zanu-PF, however, we are going to continue to work with the people of the constituency,” he said.

Critics have all along ranted and doubted that Zanu-PF still commanded a huge following, with the mainstream international media propping up the MDC-T ahead of the crucial polls.

Zanu-PF’s imminent landslide victory is also testimony to the buy-in from the electorate and an endorsement of the party’s policies on indigenisation, land reform and widening of access and benefit sharing of natural resources with most local communities in various part of the country.

Analysts note that the majority of Zimbabweans have realised tangible benefits from President Mugabe’s radical and principled policies on indigenisation and economic empowerment.

Community Trust Ownership Schemes provided a huge boost to Zanu-PF with locals benefiting from the construction of basic health and education infrastructure — a key demand of the rural electorate.