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Zanu-PF candidate to ride on CCC crisis to win seat

by Staff reporter
21 Jan 2024 at 23:54hrs | Views
Shakemore Wellington Timburwa, the aspiring Zanu-PF candidate for the Chegutu West parliamentary seat in the upcoming February 3 by-election, anticipates a decisive victory by capitalizing on the internal discord within the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC).

At the age of 32, Timburwa unexpectedly secured the opportunity to represent the ruling party after the disqualification of former Member of Parliament Dexter Nduna and the withdrawal of Farai Last Chigavazira, who had contested and lost in the August 2023 harmonized elections.

Following a meeting in Chegutu to assess election preparedness, chaired by national political commissar Mike Bimha, Timburwa asserted that Zanu-PF is well-positioned to reclaim the seat due to the internal conflicts plaguing opposition political parties, specifically the CCC led by Nelson Chamisa.


Timburwa emphasized the strategic planning and organizational structures of Zanu-PF, contrasting it with what he described as confusion within the opposition. He remarked, "We are dealing with confused people, and as a party, we will maximize on that confusion."

The former CCC MP Admore Chivero is running as an independent candidate after CCC's interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu threatened to recall him if he contested and won on the opposition party's ticket, claiming he had "ceased to be a member." Gift Konjana, who previously aligned with MDC-T under Douglas Mwonzora, filed nomination papers for CCC with Tshabangu's approval.

Timburwa expressed Zanu-PF's intention to capitalize on the prevailing confusion and turn it into a winning strategy, stating, "We don't waste a crisis, we maximize and win."

Highlighting Zanu-PF's campaign approach, Timburwa emphasized a pragmatic focus on tried-and-tested leadership that provides practical solutions to current and future challenges. He cited the party's initiatives, such as drilling boreholes to address water problems, with 10 boreholes completed and more in progress.

Additionally, Timburwa outlined plans for job creation, particularly for the youth facing high unemployment rates in Chegutu West. As the founder and director of a diversified portfolio of companies, he pledged to assist youths in entering the small-scale mining sector by financing gold syndicates.

Source - newzimbabwe