Mujuru's Bikita West rally blocked

Opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) president Joice Mujuru was left devastated when her Bikita West rally was cancelled so Zanu-PF could hold its assembly.

ZPF organised the event over the past month but was told by the police that they were cancelling her rally because of double-booking.

They offered to rearrange the rally so they could instead host the rally after the Zanu-PF conclave.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, ZPF Masvingo interim provincial chairperson Claudius Makova said they were forced to reschedule Mujuru's rally from January 17.

"We booked for our president to address on January 17 but Zanu-PF booked at the same venue and we have rescheduled our rally to January 19. This will not deter us to mobilise our supporters to come in their numbers for the rally.

"Kudakwashe Gopo is going to make history by becoming the first person to win the parliamentary election for our party.

"Our party is very popular and I think even the Zanu-PF candidate will vote for Gopo on election day."

Six candidates have successfully filed their papers at the Nomination Court that sat at the Masvingo Magistrates' Courts, but the main battle is between Zanu-PF women's league provincial executive member Beauty Chabaya and Gopo of the Mujuru-led ZPF.

The NCA is fielding its spokesperson Madock Chivasa. Other candidates are Terence Makumbo of Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ), Independent candidate Innocent Muzvimbiri and former Bikita West legislator Heya Shoko, who will also stand as an Independent candidate.

The constituency was previously held by incarcerated Zanu-PF rapist Munyaradzi Kereke.

Makova said a few people will vote for Zanu-PF due to the current economic woes.

"People know the truth, Zanu-PF has failed the nation, they don't have solutions to address the current economic problems. Their only strategy is to use violence to force people to vote for them but people have suffered enough.

"We told our supporters that no to violence, we want to live in a peaceful nation but for Zanu-PF, they have nothing to offer to the people of Zimbabwe. What they want is to win elections without strategies to solve the current economic problem which is affecting all Zimbabweans."

However, Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Amasi Nenjana dismissed Makova's allegations as bar talk.

"Our vice president (Phelekezela Mphoko) is going to address our supporters on January 17. Those allegations which are being levelled against us are just bar talk. We are confident that we are going to win the by-election.

"They should have planned their rallies just after the announcement of the by-election. They must not try to play a blame game when they know that they can't mobilise people to come to their rallies.

"We are a strong party and we are united here in Masvingo so our campaigns are going on well."