News / National
'Zanu-PF will reclaim Chinhoyi in 2018'
05 Jun 2017 at 06:47hrs | Views
ZANU-PF politburo member and Labour minister Prisca Mupfumira says she has increased her presence in Chinhoyi as part of the ruling party's strategy to reclaim the Chinhoyi parliamentary seat from the MDC-T in the upcoming general elections.
Mupfumira, who is a Senator for Chinhoyi, told NewsDay on the side lines of a sports tournament she organised in the constituency last week that she had of late increased her visibility in Chinhoyi in order to reconnect with the electorate ahead of next year's general elections.
"I was born and bred here in Chinhoyi and I'm doing everything that I can for Zanu-PF to reclaim the Chinhoyi seat. I think people are just panicking because I'm doing a lot in Chinhoyi," she said.
Mupfumira has, over the past few months, been doling out food handouts and addressing public gatherings in the company of officials from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA).
Her rivals have accused her of funding her political activities using NSSA resources, but Mupfumira denied the allegations.
"NSSA marketing department is failing to do what they are supposed to do, that is, taking their programmes to the poor and making NSSA visible in remote areas. So, as a marketing person, since my days at Lever Brothers, we are helping them to make inroads in rural areas and smaller towns," she said.
"We were with them down in Makonde last week and there is nothing wrong since they are fulfilling their statutory mandate in those areas."
NSSA general manager, Elizabeth Chitiga declined to comment on the issue, demanding questions in writing.
The Chinhoyi seat is held by Peter Matarutse of the MDC-T.
Chinhoyi is the only constituency out of 22 in Mashonaland West that was won by opposition MDC-T in the 2013 elections.
Mupfumira, who is a Senator for Chinhoyi, told NewsDay on the side lines of a sports tournament she organised in the constituency last week that she had of late increased her visibility in Chinhoyi in order to reconnect with the electorate ahead of next year's general elections.
"I was born and bred here in Chinhoyi and I'm doing everything that I can for Zanu-PF to reclaim the Chinhoyi seat. I think people are just panicking because I'm doing a lot in Chinhoyi," she said.
Mupfumira has, over the past few months, been doling out food handouts and addressing public gatherings in the company of officials from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA).
"NSSA marketing department is failing to do what they are supposed to do, that is, taking their programmes to the poor and making NSSA visible in remote areas. So, as a marketing person, since my days at Lever Brothers, we are helping them to make inroads in rural areas and smaller towns," she said.
"We were with them down in Makonde last week and there is nothing wrong since they are fulfilling their statutory mandate in those areas."
NSSA general manager, Elizabeth Chitiga declined to comment on the issue, demanding questions in writing.
The Chinhoyi seat is held by Peter Matarutse of the MDC-T.
Chinhoyi is the only constituency out of 22 in Mashonaland West that was won by opposition MDC-T in the 2013 elections.
Source - newsday
