From George Maponga in Masvingo—

The Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial executive has stepped up its campaign in Bikita West to make sure the ruling party retains the House of Assembly seat in a by-election scheduled for January 21 next year.The seat fell vacant after Munyaradzi Kereke, who was the legislator for the area, was jailed for rape earlier this year.

Zanu-PF has picked Women’s League provincial executive member Cde Beauty Chabaya as its candidate in the by-election while the opposition National Constitutional Assembly is reportedly fielding its spokesperson, Mr Madock Chivasa.

Dr Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First has reportedly chosen former Zanu-PF national youth league executive member Mr Kudakwashe Gopo to stand on its ticket although the party is yet to make a final decision on whether to contest or not.

Acting Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Amasa Nhenjana yesterday said Zanu-PF wanted to make sure people in the constituency were prepared for the by-election.

He said the ruling party was taking the by-election seriously to maintain its political dominance in the province.

“We have been having campaign meetings at branch and ward level in Bikita West because we want to keep our people conscious about the looming by-election and its importance to Zanu-PF as a party. We do not want to take anything for granted,’’ said Cde Nhenjana.

He said the party had confidence in Cde Chabaya and that her landslide victory in the party’s primary elections showed that she was the people’s choice in Bikita West.

Cde Chabaya won the Zanu-PF primary elections after shrugging off the challenge of nine other candidates the majority of whom have since lent their support to her by helping in the ongoing campaign.

Cde Nhenjana said the ruling party would also ensure the people of Bikita West and the entire Bikita District had sufficient food as hunger was one of the major problems afflicting the dis- trict.

Zanu-PF has already started mobilising food for hunger-stricken villagers in the constituency, with Cde Chabaya recently donating 60 tonnes of maize and rice to ease hunger.

He said plans were also afoot to revive the collapsed Jaravaza Irrigation Scheme and Rozva in Bikita West which used to provide a reliable source of food in the populous constituency.

Zanu-PF heavyweights in Bikita have expressed confidence in Cde Chabaya who will become the first female legislator for Bikita West if she wins the by- election.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey