dyton mupawaenda
Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
THE ruling Zanu PF party in Mashonaland West has put all hands on deck to retain the Zvimba Ward 23 and Hurungwe Ward 24 seats during the by-elections set for next month.
The Zvimba leadership launched its campaign in Banket on Saturday, where everyone, including those that did not win the primary elections, was called upon to unite to ensure the party wins the polls resoundingly.
Central Committee member Marian Chombo led the campaign launch.
Cde Chombo, who is also Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, challenged the Banket community to trust the ruling party by voting for its candidate, Cde Cecilia Muganhiri.
Cde Muganhiri is wife to late Zvimba RDC Ward 23 Councillor, Cde Richard Muganhiri, who died a few days before the August elections and was declared a provincial hero.
When primary elections were held to find the Zanu PF candidate, Cde Cecilia Muganhiri emerged the winner, beating five other candidates.
Addressing party supporters in the farming town, Cde Chombo said: “We don’t want this seat to fall into the hands of the opposition as this will create a problem regarding development.
“Our Team (Zanu PF) should remain intact, with President Mnangagwa at the top.”
Turning to those who did not make it after the primary elections, Cde Chombo said this was the time to bury any differences and campaign for Cde Muganhiri.
Another Central Committee member, Cde Francis Mukwangwariwa, said the Banket community will receive title deeds to the properties they occupy, as was done in Epworth by the Government.
President Mnangagwa has assured urbanites that his Government will address the issue of title deeds across the country.
In an interview, Zanu PF provincial chairman Cde Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, said the party was ready to reclaim the urban seats from the hopeless opposition.
“We are ready to take the Zvimba Ward 23 seat, which falls in an urban area. The party is going to show its mighty come November 11 when the by-election will be held,” she said.
The party was geared to reclaim two other wards in Chinhoyi Municipality and Hurungwe Rural District Council that fell vacant after the death of the councillors that had been elected in August, and sworn in last month.
Meanwhile, the opposition CCC has been rocked by confusion following double candidacy under the same ticket.
The other candidate filed his papers as an independent candidate, in protest over alleged lack of democracy in the party.
Online Reporter