News / Regional
'Matabeleland is not embarrassing and that notion must stop,' says Mathema
09 Jan 2013 at 06:47hrs | Views
POLITICIANS from Matabeleland should stop looking down upon each other and avoid embarrassing the region by continuously giving the impression that it is lagging behind, Bulawayo Governor Cain Mathema has said.
In an interview with Chronicle, Governor Mathema, who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member and Deputy National Secretary for Information and Publicity, said revolutionary leaders from the region should concentrate on building bridges and working together to foster development than undermining each other in public.
"Matabeleland is not embarrassing and that notion must stop. We are not lagging behind other regions, but we have our own challenges. Bulawayo has its own challenges in the same way Harare has its own," said Governor Mathema.
"We call upon all revolutionary leaders in the region to work as a team and avoid yelling insults at each other in public. None of the Zanu-PF leaders from the region should be seen criticising other fellow leaders.
"We are in 2013, elections are coming and I wish we could work together as Zanu-PF cadres to win the election resoundingly. I would like to wish our people a prosperous new year. The party is gaining more strength in Matabeleland than yesterday and we are confident of clinching a landslide victory. We want to win all the seats, especially here in Bulawayo."
Governor Mathema said the perception that the region was lagging behind others was promoting tribalism and divisions among Zimbabweans.
He said instead of seeking to undress each other in public, political leaders from the region should seek to complement each other and thrive to keep Zimbabweans united.
Said Governor Mathema: "If anyone of us has done better we must learn from them. If there are challenges in our midst let us work together to solve them and avoid dividing the people and us.
"Zanu-PF is not a tribalistic party. We are a party that accommodates all tribes. Bulawayo has people from different tribes just as other cities do. We must fight tribalism by uniting all the tribes," he said.
"None of the Zanu-PF leaders from the region is better than the other. As far as I am concerned, as leaders we should unite to fight a common enemy, which is imperialism through Western sponsored opposition parties like the MDC."
Governor Mathema said Zimbabweans should unite in defeating neo-colonialism and sanctions through embracing the on-going indigenisation and economic empowerment programme.
He said the quest to own the means of production and to have ordinary black Zimbabweans run the country's economy should inspire people to remain united.
The Governor said as the country gears for the next election, leaders should go back to the people and let them choose the leaders they want peacefully.
Governor Mathema's remarks come at a time when there is a lot of talk about the alleged marginalisation and lack of development in Matabeleland region.
Politicians from across the political divide have expressed divergent views over the issue.
In an interview with Chronicle, Governor Mathema, who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member and Deputy National Secretary for Information and Publicity, said revolutionary leaders from the region should concentrate on building bridges and working together to foster development than undermining each other in public.
"Matabeleland is not embarrassing and that notion must stop. We are not lagging behind other regions, but we have our own challenges. Bulawayo has its own challenges in the same way Harare has its own," said Governor Mathema.
"We call upon all revolutionary leaders in the region to work as a team and avoid yelling insults at each other in public. None of the Zanu-PF leaders from the region should be seen criticising other fellow leaders.
"We are in 2013, elections are coming and I wish we could work together as Zanu-PF cadres to win the election resoundingly. I would like to wish our people a prosperous new year. The party is gaining more strength in Matabeleland than yesterday and we are confident of clinching a landslide victory. We want to win all the seats, especially here in Bulawayo."
Governor Mathema said the perception that the region was lagging behind others was promoting tribalism and divisions among Zimbabweans.
He said instead of seeking to undress each other in public, political leaders from the region should seek to complement each other and thrive to keep Zimbabweans united.
Said Governor Mathema: "If anyone of us has done better we must learn from them. If there are challenges in our midst let us work together to solve them and avoid dividing the people and us.
"Zanu-PF is not a tribalistic party. We are a party that accommodates all tribes. Bulawayo has people from different tribes just as other cities do. We must fight tribalism by uniting all the tribes," he said.
"None of the Zanu-PF leaders from the region is better than the other. As far as I am concerned, as leaders we should unite to fight a common enemy, which is imperialism through Western sponsored opposition parties like the MDC."
Governor Mathema said Zimbabweans should unite in defeating neo-colonialism and sanctions through embracing the on-going indigenisation and economic empowerment programme.
He said the quest to own the means of production and to have ordinary black Zimbabweans run the country's economy should inspire people to remain united.
The Governor said as the country gears for the next election, leaders should go back to the people and let them choose the leaders they want peacefully.
Governor Mathema's remarks come at a time when there is a lot of talk about the alleged marginalisation and lack of development in Matabeleland region.
Politicians from across the political divide have expressed divergent views over the issue.
Source - chronicle
