adminSenior Reporter
ZANU-PF National Assembly candidate for Hwange East Cde Fati Mpofu yesterday said he was ready to unlock development in the constituency as soon as he wins the 31 July election. In an interview Cde Mpofu (61) said the past 13 years had been a nightmare for Hwange East villagers under the leadership of the MDC candidates, whom he accused of running down infrastructure.
“I will win the forthcoming election resoundingly. The electorate now understands that Zanu-PF is a people oriented party.
“Our people have waited for concrete development for the past 13 years but got nothing from MDC leaders who only achieved running down infrastructure,” said Cde Mpofu, a Zanu-PF Central Committee member.
Cde Mpofu will be battling it out with John Ngwenya (Zapu), Tose Sansole (MDC-T), Salvation Nyoni (independent) and Jelous Sansole of MDC.
He said the moment he gets into office he would quickly roll out empowerment programmes for women and the youth and assist the local authority in revamping major infrastructure to improve service delivery.
“Infrastructure development is key towards enhancing service delivery and that will be my first port of call. Our roads are in a bad shape. There is also need to address water and sanitation issues by drilling more boreholes and building dams,” said Cde Mpofu, a former teacher who is now Hwange Colliery Company (HCCL) human resources manager.
“I will also work towards revamping dilapidated infrastructure in schools and clinics and help build new health centres.
“The most important thing, however, is to help communities to establish income generating projects for them to be self-reliant.”
Cde Mpofu, who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration and a Diploma in Marketing from the University of South Africa, said empowerment of the youth in his constituency was possible through mobilising resources from local mining firms and helping the youth to establish small service based businesses that target the local market.
He said he was working tirelessly with support from other party members, who contested him in the primaries, to ensure that the party wins.
“Every day is a critical day for us. We are working as a team because the victory is not for an individual but for the party,” said Cde Mpofu.
Cde Hilario Ngulube, a local businessman, former Air Force officer and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe worker, who lost the primary election for the seat, said he was working with Cde Mpofu to ensure a Zanu-PF victory.
“Cde Mpofu is our candidate and as his colleagues we want him to win. I support him in everything and I am prepared to even spend the resources I have to ensure that he wins this elections. His victory is for us all,” said Cde Ngulube
Cde Mpofu, a former Zapu youth, was born in 1952 in Lukosi area in Hwange District. He attained a Diploma in Education with the United College of Education (UCE) and a certificate in social work in 1978.
He has a rich career profile having worked as a teacher in Dete for two years before joining Gatsi Mine in Masvingo as welfare officer.
He joined HCCL in 1982 as a personnel officer and rose through the ranks to become the human resources manager.
Cde Mpofu briefly left HCCL and joined Ingwebu Breweries in 2003 as a human resources manager and returned in 2004.
Hwange East has 12 wards and stretches from Mabale to Jambezi and covers areas such as Dete and Kamativi.
Cde Mpofu is married to Stella and they have eight children.
The family also runs Good Hope orphanage with other partners, which assists orphans and vulnerable children.
Online Reporter