dyton mupawaenda
Bulawayo Bureau
The electorate in Lupane, Matabeleland North, has been urged to vote for the ruling Zanu PF party, which is uplifting people’s living standards in the province through various development projects.
The projects include construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital and the Lake Gwayi-Shangani that is expected to eliminate water challenges in Bulawayo and turn the province into a greenbelt.
Matabeleland North has reaped benefits in terms of development in the last five years courtesy of President Mnangagwa who has vowed to uplift people’s livelihoods in the province that has previously been regarded as marginalised and lagging behind.
The Second Republic has pushed the Government to spearhead equitable and inclusive development across the country as he seeks to ensure ‘no one and no place is left behind’
Lupane, the provincial capital of Matabeleland North, is growing in leaps and bounds as the Second Republic continues to accelerate the implementation of transformative infrastructural development projects.
Lupane is a rural semi-arid area with a growing population and some infrastructural expansion after it was accorded the capital status of the province in 1999.
However, under the Second Republic, Lupane has recorded transformative growth as evidenced by the implementation of new infrastructural projects in addition to existing ones, which had stalled for years due to a lack of funding.
The projects include a Lupane Provincial Hospital, an e-passport office, Lupane State University, and the Welshman Mabhena Government Complex. The projects have helped spur economic growth in the district, which is also rich in timber, gold and methane gas.
Government has completed the reconstruction of the Pupu Battlefield National Monument and clinic and both projects are ready for commissioning by President Mnangagwa.
Addressing party supporters at St Luke’s in Lupane on Wednesday, ZANU PF Secretary-General Dr Obert Mpofu said the December 9 by-elections present the locals with an opportunity to reconfigure their mindset and vote for the continued national development.
“I am here not to address you but I am here as a servant of the people and a servant that has been tasked by our leader, President Mnangagwa to beseech you to do right by voting the party into power. We have so many projects in this region and we cannot let such development fall on hands that are not worthy,” he said.
“There are a lot of key transformative projects in our province that benefit the nation and that should be evidence enough to show off the Second Republic’s commitment to the people of Zimbabwe.”
Dr Mpofu, who was on a two-day campaign in the district to drum up support for the Zanu PF candidate for Lupane East in the coming by-elections, Cde Phathisiwe Ncube, said, unlike the opposition party which is riddled with controversy and strife, Zanu PF is a development and people-centre party.
He implored the electorate in the province to rectify the “slip-up” of voting for CCC during the August harmonised elections.
“How then are we as your children and servants of this province meant to represent you when you vote the wrong people into power? Surely you cannot expect a member of the CCC to approach the President requesting assistance when they are working against efforts to emancipate Zimbabwe from the clutches of detractors,” said Dr Mpofu.
He urged Lupane East to vote for Cde Ncube, whom he described as a woman with empathy and a vision for development.
“We do not want to have a party that is full of disharmony and traitors. We have always preached a line of peace, love, and unity. Let not the rot that is bedevilling the opposition sip into our trusted party,” said Dr Mpofu
“We are a party of the people and we will protect the values of the nation.”
Dr Mpofu said the inclusion of women in the country’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) is essential for the country to achieve an upper-middle income status by 2030
Women were the bearers of peace, love, and unity and their inclusion in the nation’s political affairs is critical in terms of pushing developmental projects.
“Women bear a lot and they can never go unnoticed in this country’s development. Let us ensure that their inclusion in politics assists in national development plans,” said Dr Mpofu.
“We are on the ground campaigning and the target is obviously to reclaim all these seats because the opposition has nothing to offer. In fact, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that CCC cannot be entrusted to rule this country when they are failing to run their own party.”
Cde Ncube will face two CCC candidates, Messrs David Nyathi and Bright Moyo Vanya. In Binga North, Zanu PF will be represented by Cde Chineka Muchimba while the opposition party fielded two candidates, Mr Prince Dubeko Sibanda and Ms Judith Sibanda.
Online Reporter