Fortious Nhambura Features Writer
SHE is young, beautiful, outspoken and a fiery patriot who will stop at nothing to drive her point across.
She hit the headlines recently after storming the Daily News offices, and running US ambassador Bruce Wharton out of Mutare. Meet Cde Sheilah Mutsenhu (33), the Zanu-PF Provincial Assembly candidate for Manicaland.
On January 23 this year, she confronted US Ambassador Bruce Wharton in her bra and panties in protest over the US illegal sanctions regime.
Mr Wharton and his entourage were forced to make a hasty retreat from Turner Memorial Library where they were touring an American Corner at the Mutare City Council-run library.
The entourage also cancelled a planned tour of Sakubva District Hospital that was scheduled for the next day.
Last September, Cde Mutsenhu hit the headlines after storming the Daily News offices in Harare in protesting over the tabloid’s negative reporting on President Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
She says she respects President Mugabe’s empowerment policies that have made Zimbabweans what they are today and will do anything to show her anger with those who despise him.
“That is why I stripped in front of United States Ambassador Bruce Wharton.
“I wanted to send a clear message to the US and its allies that sanctions are hurting ordinary citizens.
“I don’t regret what I did. It was to show love for my country and my President.
“There is no going back in my antics and what I did to Bruce and the Daily News is just small.
“One thing I don’t regret stripping for Wharton. I will do it again in defence of my nation and my principles,” said Cde Sheila Mutsenhu.
She says her radicalism cost her a few friends but that is the price one pays for defending a position of principle.
“I don’t regret anything. It was the greatest sacrifice of my life. I am proud that I did something that is dear to my heart, my country,” she said.
Cde Mustenhu said she was vying for the provincial council to improve the lives of the people of Manicaland in general.
She also wants to uplift the lives of women and youths in the province who for years have been marginalised for too long.
“I think people identify with my cause that is why they chose me into the provincial council elections.
“I am an empowerment enthusiast the electorate should brace for increased pace in empowerment drives in the region.
“The area is endowed with a lot of natural resources, gold, diamonds and soils and their benefits need to start cascading to the ground to the people. The rich agricultural soils should be supported with irrigation so that people can engage in full-time agricultural production,” she said.
“That should be followed with an increase in value addition so that we get more value from our products.
“We should see diamond cutting shops, canning factories and packaging industries.
“That way we can create more jobs and generate resources for our area. That will be in fulfilment of Cde Mugabe’s wish for meaningful development in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Cde Mutsenhu predicted a landslide victory for Zanu-PF saying the party had moved to reconnect with people by ensuring the people choose the people they wanted represent them.
“The people feel honoured and will go out in numbers to support their candidates.
“You can tell with the number of people who are gracing Zanu-PF star rallies that indeed the giant has reawakened. I want to thank the President for directing that Cde Chombo instruct councils to scrap outstanding bills because that gives our people a fresh start. It is a blow to the MDC-T that thrives on people’s misery,” she said.
Cde Mutsenhu, is a mother of two and has been in politics since the age of 10 when she broke into the Zanu-PF Nyamauru district youth league.
She says her father Sandas Mutsenhu would always take her to a Zanu-PF branch meeting from the age of three.
“I became youth district secretary for Information and Publicity for Nyamauru district at 10 and that period defined what I want do with my political life.
“Five years later I was elected youth chairperson,” she said.
She was elected secretary for production and labour for Manicaland Provincial youth league in 1998. Because of her work rate, she was again re-elected into the same post in 2003.
In 2002 while at Mary Mount Teachers’ College, Cde Mutsenhu became the first woman Zanu-PF member to be elected into the Student Representative Council at a tertiary college during a time when student activism was dominated by Movement for Democratic Change.
In 2008 she was appointed board member of the Zimbabwe Youth Council.
On leaving ZYC in 2010 Cde Matsenhu helped start Upfumi Hwepasi Kuvatema Youth Association, a youth empowerment association, holding the position of chief protocol officer.
She was again instrumental in the formation of the Vadiki Tava Kupfuma empowerment group as its president.
“The group managed to lobby Mutare City Council to release space for the construction of 1750 market stalls for youths in Sakubva,” she said.
“Although the project is still under construction, she says a number of youths had moved in and were making a living.
“The empowerment lobby group has also helped provide legal help for youths who were being pushed out of retail space continued increase of rentals by landlords,” she said.
The group has been helping youths with business proposals for funding under the youth fund.
A holder of a Diploma in Infant Education, Cde Mutsenhu only taught for one and a half years before quitting because of the little remuneration.
“I felt I was being abused. I had to quit in mid 2005 because I was getting peanuts. The illegal sanctions made working unreasonable.
“I choose to enter cross border trading and that helped me sustain my life. I have since moved on and I am an entrepreneur in my own right,” she said.
“Through the support of the Ministry of Youth, Development, Gender and Employment Creation, and Cde Mugabe’s unwavering support for empowerment I managed to open a private school in Greendale North that now has an enrolment of 120 children.
“I am also into farming doing market gardening, but specializing in potatoes and leaf vegetables. I have a little plot in Ruwa,” she said.
Cde Mutsenhu urged Zanu-PF members to remain united to ensure that the country buries the ghost of the west and does away with the monster called the inclusive Government.
She said after the elections it was imperative that Zanu-PF members know that the elections were now about the party not individuals.
“Let’s swallow our pride and vote resoundingly for our candidates. Its either we sink as or swim as a group. The party cannot afford to another slip.
“There is no room for division this time because if we lose we all sink as a party and will not be able to enjoy what we are doing now.
“It is time to claim our lost dignity. Let the world understand that we are united and resolute people.
“Our vote should show the world that we are a people who know the importance of independence and leadership of President Mugabe,” she said.
Cde Mutsenhu said the restructuring of the party in Manicaland had brought a new lease of life in the province and Zanu-PF would make a clean sweep in the area.
“I want to say to patriotic Zimbabweans, I can smell it, our victory is certain.”