Vusumuzi Dube
Peter Matika, Sunday News Reporter
ZANU-PF National Assembly candidate for Nketa constituency and Bulawayo businessman, Cde Tawengwa Zidya, recently donated more than 200 water purification bags — Safe Water Safe life (SaWa) to two Christian denominations, as he took his campaign to the house of worship.
Cde Zidya said his campaign was in line with Zanu-PF’s campaign strategies and this was part of its intensification programmes in the campaign towards the harmonised elections slated for 23 August.
He said the donation was in response to the city’s water crisis, where there have been several reports of people getting admitted to health facilities due to ingesting contaminated water.
According to the SaWa bag developer, the purification technology is based on PET bottles’ 40-year-old Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) process, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed as a safe way to purify water.
“SaWa Bag further improves the purification process by using a specialised plastic foil and construction that significantly increases solar penetration and makes the process faster, killing a more comprehensive range of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa with a performance of 99,9%. The model illustrates the sun emitting the UV rays that reach the bag, which initiates the SaWa product’s purification process,” reads part of the purification bag’s description.
Cde Zidya visited Imisebenzi Yamapostoli Apostolic Church of God situated in Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb where the church’s leadership hailed his initiative to assist and listen to their needs.
“We need places of worship, that is the first thing that you need to address. We have been to the council and have applied for a stand to construct a church but we know that our request has been placed at the bottom of the shelf. With you coming here perhaps you might get a representative in the House of Assembly. We know that there is stigma against us Apostolic churches but we are the majority and we need to have cover from weather elements. Besides that, we also need to identify with modernisation,” said Bishop Ian Moyo.
He said they also needed to have buildings so as to construct ablution facilities to avoid defecating in the bushes.
“We do not want to make our places of worship dirty. We too need to have ablution facilities for health and security reasons. At times we fellowship in the evenings and night and it is not safe to be in the open, as we may be prone to robbers,” said Bishop Moyo.
The Archbishop of the church Welcome Khoza said they were ready to galvanise the party, as long as their needs are attended to. Cde Zidya said he was committed to assisting local people.
“I am the right man for the job and take this as no joke. I know there have been several promises made by different candidates over the years and they have failed you but this is a different time. We have a different President, one who listens and one who acts on situations. Give us the chance and we will deliver. Vote for President Mnangagwa and us, the representatives,” said Cde Zidya.
Cde Zidya, while making his donation went on to preach the gospel of the Bible, likening the Second Republic’s leaders from the ruling party to those from biblical times.
“It is just like how John the Baptist was shocked to see and hear Jesus’ request to be baptised by him. John expected Jesus to baptise him but instead was shocked when Jesus requested the opposite and this is the exact that is happening. We are here to seek your blessings and votes,” said Cde Zidya.
He then went on to visit Messengers of God church in the same constituency, where he also donated 5 bags of cement towards the church’s construction, while pledging another five by Friday.
In order to keep the youths busy, he said his desire was to start with training to impart home-based income-generating project skills as well as organise sporting programmes during weekends.
“We will have income-generating projects such as bread and cake making, poultry and rearing rabbits, which will all go a long way in empowering the people,” said the aspiring legislator.
“After experts’ finish training the youths, they will now be able to operate on their own. What we will do is to capacitate them by providing them with the resources needed and even start-up capital. I am excited and humbled by the support from the people and I remain confident that Nketa will contribute significantly towards the five million votes for President Mnangagwa,” said Cde Zidya.
He said he was ready to push the party agenda in the constituency in line with the revolutionary party’s drive to leave no stone unturned in its preparations for the upcoming harmonised elections.
Online Reporter