News / National
Mthwakazi Party rally in Matobo cleared by police
10 Jun 2017 at 17:08hrs | Views
POLICE in Matabeleland South have cleared Mthwakazi Republic Party's (MRP) application to hold its first campaign rally today in Matobo North constituency, which is being eyed by the secessionist party's leader, Mqondisi Moyo, in next year's elections.
The MRP recently failed to hold a street campaign march in Matabeleland South on the grounds it might turn violent. Police have, however, since given the party the go-ahead to hold a campaign rally at Gwandavale business centre, Mbonisi Gumbo, the MRP spokesperson confirmed.
Gumbo said the MRP chose Matobo North to launch the party's campaign rallies in Matabeleland South "because the area has been neglected since independence".
"The Matobo North constituency has been neglected for a long time by the ruling Zanu-PF party. After 37 years of the so-called independence, there are still no roads at all such that during the rainy season, children do not go to school, sometimes for months because of flooded rivers.
"Even the sick are not spared either, because Mtshabezi hospital is in Gwanda North and there are no bridges to get there. In Matobo North and the rest of Matabeleland we still have both primary and secondary school kids who walk between 10 and 25 kilometres a single trip to school," Gumbo said yesterday.
The MRP has declared that it will participate in next years' election but only fielding candidates in Midlands, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces. It joins the recently launched the Moses Mzila-Ndlovu led Alliance for National Salvation party, which has also said it will field candidates only in Midlands and Matabeleland.
The MRP recently failed to hold a street campaign march in Matabeleland South on the grounds it might turn violent. Police have, however, since given the party the go-ahead to hold a campaign rally at Gwandavale business centre, Mbonisi Gumbo, the MRP spokesperson confirmed.
Gumbo said the MRP chose Matobo North to launch the party's campaign rallies in Matabeleland South "because the area has been neglected since independence".
"The Matobo North constituency has been neglected for a long time by the ruling Zanu-PF party. After 37 years of the so-called independence, there are still no roads at all such that during the rainy season, children do not go to school, sometimes for months because of flooded rivers.
"Even the sick are not spared either, because Mtshabezi hospital is in Gwanda North and there are no bridges to get there. In Matobo North and the rest of Matabeleland we still have both primary and secondary school kids who walk between 10 and 25 kilometres a single trip to school," Gumbo said yesterday.
The MRP has declared that it will participate in next years' election but only fielding candidates in Midlands, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces. It joins the recently launched the Moses Mzila-Ndlovu led Alliance for National Salvation party, which has also said it will field candidates only in Midlands and Matabeleland.
Source - newsday
