Zanu-PF confident of victory in Lupane East by-election

ZANU-PF National Political Commissar, Victor Matemadanda, said yesterday the revolutionary party is certain that it will retain the Lupane East seat as its opponents are without vision.

The party launched its campaign drive last month and has been holding rallies and also doing door-to-door campaigns ahead of the by-election set for tomorrow.

Matemadanda, who was accompanied by his deputy Omega Hungwe and the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor, Paul Mavhima, held two other rallies at St Paul's and Mhlangamlambo School on Wednesday.

Addressing scores of party supporters at a campaign rally at Daluka in Lupane yesterday, Matemadanda said voting Zanu-PF is a fulfilment of Matabeleland region's vision pioneered by King Lobengula and Dr Joshua Nkomo. He challenged party supporters to advance the same vision which he said is rooted in development and denial of colonial rule.

"Other candidates contesting in this election are like bulls without trackers. You can't even locate them. So, you must be careful when you vote as people of Lupane and Matabeleland North.  

"This vote is for King Lobengula who strongly opposed white rule. He passed through this place and died here, but today 100 years later you get someone including some Chiefs saying they cannot vote for this party. If we were talking about Chaminuka or Nehanda we would understand because they were from Mashonaland, but this is your own King.

"So when you vote Zanu-PF you are fulfilling King Lobengula's vision because besides him, only-PF-Zapu and Zanu-PF resisted white rule which is why the two united unlike other parties. You should have partnership with Zanu-PF which is King Lobengula and the late Vice President Nkomo's party," said Matemadanda.

He said voting Zanu-PF is also ratification of President Mnangagwa's devolution policy whose thrust is to empower every community.

Matemadanda said Zanu-PF is a development party as he assured supporters that soon Government will start sinking boreholes and rehabilitate roads to add to education and food aid programmes already underway.

He said the revolutionary party is committed to ensuring children in all communities get quality education as he lambasted some opposition leaders for seeking to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.

"Nelson Chamisa benefitted from Zanu-PF's free education but now he goes around mobilising against that so that your children don't benefit. Us we value education because we don't want you to raise children who have no value in life," said Matemadanda. He said the party will never allow neo-colonialists to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.

The party is fielding youthful, Mbongeni Dube, who is the Youth League's deputy national Secretary for Education for the seat which fell vacant following the death of Sithembile Gumbo in April.

Matemadanda told Dube and his wife Thubelihle to start living exemplary and respectful lives as they are now public leaders. Youth League national secretary for administration Tendai Chirau said the election is an opportunity for youths to prove themselves in national politics.

"This is an opportunity for people of Lupane to vote for a young candidate who is dynamic and willing to work. Zanu-PF has been a party for development since 1980 and this is the vision we are still pushing as youths," he said.