ZAPU at 'eRenkini'

Dr Dumiso Dabengwa with the lively and vibrant Youths descended at the Old bus terminus in a style today 22nd May 2015. The Old bus terminus is affectionately known as eRenkini to those who know it well and have patronised it, it is for buses bound for long distances. The Blue Lagoon is just a stone throw away from the bus terminus.

When the "keep ZANU out of Bulawayo Team" descended the place was buzzing as it was on a Friday, the busiest day of the week.



When the Youth started the song ‘babethi ayibulawe iZAPU' the whole bus terminus burst into a song. The young and old swamped Dr Dabengwa wanting to show their support. After the 2013 elections, ZAPU embarked on a painstaking exercise to ascertain the people's thinking about ZAPU, overwhelmingly people said that they were ZAPU and they will always be ZAPU, however, they aptly pointed out that ZAPU was not reaching out and therefore not visible to earn the people's trust.

After the assessment exercise ZAPU went back to the boardroom to re-strategise, among many strategies to address the views of the people, the major among them was to strengthen the Youth Front, strategic move on its own right. The Youth Front has lived up to the expectations, it has led in the current door to door and meet-the-people campaigns, precisely to address the issue of visibility and reconnect ZAPU with the people.   This is the beauty of responsive political parties, which go out to seek people's views and then work towards meeting and addressing the identified shortfalls. ZAPU has done so in a spectacular fashion and in a robust manner and this strategy is surely going to yield positive results in the short term and long run.

Mr Ndodana Moyo the current Organising Secretary for NEC Youth Front had this to say "May I take this opportunity to thank all who continue to support this campaign in all ways-morally, financially and all other means. May I also applaud Bulawayo Youth Front leadership who have sacrificed their all to see this campaign succeed, special mention goes to Lovejean Dabengwa, Malthus Ncube, Sniper, and our all rounding Iphithule Maphosa, who doubles up as leader of Youth Front Bulawayo Province Team on the ground and has made sure every minute of the Presidential door to door campaign is captured on camera and publicised for the world to see. My job as National Youth Front Organiser has been made easier by this team".

Today Dr Dabengwa together with the Youth Front descended at the bus terminus to interact and chat with the people on a one to one basis, which proved to be extremely difficult as people converged around them in large numbers. On the 10th July by-elections ZAPU is fielding 5 candidates in Bulawayo, Mr Jonathan Ndlovu in Makokoba, Mr Amon Ndabambi in Luveve, Dr Strike Mnkandla in Phelandaba-Mpopoma; Alderman Michael Mpofu in Pumula and Mr Casper Dube in Lobhengula-Njube constituency. ZAPU is aiming for the ultimate price that is to win all the seats in the City of Kings and Queens.  

"When we started the campaign we did not expect this overwhelming support, we went out there prepared for resistance, but we were quickly humbled by the support which people gave us, as the President of ZAPU I would like to thank the people of Bulawayo for their support, win or lose, we will always acknowledge and appreciate their support and I would like to personally pledge my loyalty to them,  if we win in the by-elections ZAPU will march to parliament on your mandate and will voice your needs in parliament in a vociferous manner" Dr Dabengwa promised. "The state of Bulawayo economy cannot be allowed to continue to deteriorate in this way, where would our children work, how are we expected to live a normal life in such deplorable conditions, we did not go to war for this suffering" The Zapu President declared.

Meanwhile Tshinga Dube the ZANU PF candidate for Makokoba continues with his desperate efforts which will in the end not yield any results for him. He is said to have helped secure a bus for Bosso with a view of buying people's votes and loyalty. ZAPU has robustly countered Mr Dube's tactics, it has informed the people to take whatever resource ZANU Pf is bringing to them but they should never forget their suffering when they are casting their vote. All their suffering in whatever form and shape is as a result of ZANU PF's misrule.