Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
THE Zanu PF campaign juggernaut is in full swing in Gutu East, where Politburo members are drumming up support for the ruling party’s candidate to win next Saturday’s parliamentary by-election and help the revolutionary party retain the seat.
The by-election was triggered by the sacking of Mr Benjamin Ganyiwa, who had been elected on a Zanu PF ticket in the 2023 harmonised elections.
Zanu PF will be represented by Cde Zvarevashe Masvingise in the June 14 by-election and will square off against independent candidate Mr Gift Gonese and Mr Zivanai Nzvenga of NCA.
The ruling party is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to retain the seat, with Politburo members from the province, led by the Zanu PF national secretary for Security, Cde Lovemore Matuke, leading from the front in the campaigns.
Other Politburo members who are helping to drum up support for Cde Masvingise include secretary for mines and energy development Cde Paul Mangwana, deputy secretary for youth affairs Cde John Paradza and Cde Ottilia Maluleke, who is a committee member in the party’s supreme decision-making body.
Masvingo Zanu PF provincial chair Cde Rabson Mavhenyengwa yesterday said his party’s campaign machine was in full swing.
“Our campaign teams are on the ground in Gutu East, where we are intensifying the drumming up of support for our candidate Cde Masvingise ahead of next weekend’s by-election,’’ said Cde Mavhenyengwa.
“Our Politburo members constituted teams that are on the ground leading the campaigning, and so far the response has been very good. We also have teams led by our Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Ezra Chadzamira, who is a member of the Central Committee, so we also have Central Committee and provincial executive members on the ground in Gutu East.’’
Cde Mavhenyengwa said the recent visit to Gutu East by the party’s National Political Commissar, Cde Munyaradzi Machacha, had added impetus to the ruling party’s campaign machinery.
“We are more than confident that we will retain the Gutu East parliamentary seat because of the overwhelming response that our campaign teams have been receiving on the ground. The election is now almost like a formality; we will win, and I am sure we will win big,’’ he said.
Cde Masvingise recently revealed that he was confident of helping Zanu PF to retain the Gutu East parliamentary seat, banking on President Mnangagwa’s signature developmental projects that he said were positively impacting the lives of the majority and therefore attracting more supporters to the party.
Mr Gonese also expressed confidence in wrestling the seat from Zanu PF, announcing a number of developmental projects that he wanted to roll out in Gutu East.
The independent candidate vowed to improve internet connectivity, promising to install Starlink kits at schools across the constituency.
Zanu PF has maintained a stranglehold on the Masvingo political landscape since independence, with the party bagging 24 seats in the 2023 harmonised elections, while the opposition CCC party won two urban seats: Chiredzi Central and Masvingo Urban.
