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Bulawayo Bureau

ACTING President Kembo Mohadi has slammed the fractured CCC for bleeding national resources through its leadership chaos, which has caused unnecessary by-elections that have become a strain to the national fiscus.

Elections are generally costly to any nation and authorities have raised concerns that budgeting for a series of by-elections is an unnecessary expenditure for Treasury.

The country emerged from the harmonised elections in August 2023, but four months later, by-elections were held to replace National Assembly and local authority members who were recalled by disputed CCC interim secretary-general, Mr Sengezo Tshabangu.

After the December by-election Mr Tshabangu instigated a second wave of by-elections to be held this Saturday and is on record saying the recalls are not yet over.

The Government has budgeted US$11 million for the December 2023 and February 2024 by-elections with US$5 million being spent in the December by-election while another US$6 million will be used in the polls set for Saturday.

President Mnangagwa is now obliged at law to proclaim another by-election after CCC Mt Pleasant National Assembly member, Ms Fadzayi Mahere, tendered her resignation from Parliament yesterday as she followed Mr Nelson Chamisa, who quit as the leader of the opposition last week.

It is unclear how many other elected officials will also follow suit.

Addressing multitudes during a Zanu PF rally yesterday at Nkulumane Public Library grounds in Bulawayo, Cde Mohadi said Zimbabweans dodged a bullet when they dumped the opposition in the August 2023 harmonised elections.

“Look at this party that some of you had voted for, it is in disarray, it no longer has a leader. We are now wasting resources through holding by-elections,” he said.

‘Where has that party left you, even its president has abandoned the party. CCC is no longer an issue, there is nothing to go to there. There is nothing left there, there is confusion in the party, there is no direction in the party.

“The opposition has run down the urban centres and now cities are synonymous with dirt. They are failing to pick garbage and now people are dying because of cholera,” said Cde Mohadi.

He was drumming up support for the Zanu-PF candidate Cde Joseph Tshuma, who will battle it out for the Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency against Moreblessing Tembo (CCC) and Abraham Nkomo of the Democratic Opposition Party. Mr Gift Ostallos Siziva who was recalled from the seat was disqualified from contesting.

Citing the opposition chaos, Cde Mohadi said those who were previously affiliated to the opposition should return to Zanu-PF as it is the only party with a solution-driven agenda and ability to address national challenges.

The Acting President said following the August 2023 harmonised elections, it was painful to watch the electorate particularly in Matabeleland region getting lost through voting for the ideologically bankrupt opposition.

He, however, said following the by-elections that were held in December, the ruling party regained ground winning three out of five seats in Bulawayo. The province is aiming for a fourth National Assembly seat in the coming by-elections.

The Acting President said in the midst of the opposition driven chaos, the ruling party has remained steadfast in transforming the country into an upper middle income economy status as guided by President Mnangagwa’s vision.

He said under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe is in the process of mobilising resources to address most of the challenges affecting the country.

“The Second Republic since 2018 has initiated a lot of development projects, surpassing the works that were done by the First Republic. We have been involved in extensive infrastructural development, constructing dams, roads and rehabilitating electricity infrastructure,” said Cde Mohadi.

“At the moment, the power challenges that we have are not man-made, but are a result of the climate change resulting in Kariba Dam failing to impound enough water.

“We are working on rehabilitating the Beitbridge Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. That is part of the work we are doing,” said the Acting President.

He said President Mnangagwa’s re-engagement drive is bearing fruits and noted that just last week, British investors were in the country to discuss areas of cooperation with Zimbabwe.

Cde Modadi reiterated that the country will continue to leverage its resources to advance its development agenda and called upon the electorate to vote for Cde Tshuma who is standing on the Zanu-PF ticket for Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency.

“We must make sure that Joseph Tshuma is elected come February 3. This will enable him to take your issues to the relevant offices without a challenge.

“We know that there is an issue of title deeds in Iminyela suburb, we have set in motion measures to ensure that you get the title deeds, but this is a process,” said the Acting President.

“We started the process in Epworth in Harare and we will be cascading it here. All the deserving individuals will get the title deeds.”

Cde Mohadi said citizens should also unite and advance the development agenda, working closely with the Government.

Meanwhile, the Acting President donated 10 laptops to Mandwandwe High School as part of Government initiatives to support the teaching of information communication technologies (ICTs) in schools. He also brought a consignment of exercise books, which will be delivered to Bulawayo schools.

Acting President Mohadi also urged Bulawayo businesses and party members to drill six boreholes and assist in alleviating water challenges in the city.

Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, expressed gratitude to the Presidium for availing resources to address water challenges.

Zanu-PF politburo member Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube also encouraged the electorate to vote for Cde Tshuma as he will not be new to Parliamentary duty.