Zanu PF confident of retaining Gutu East seat

Source: Zanu PF confident of retaining Gutu East seat – herald

George Maponga-Masvingo Bureau

ZANU PF has expressed confidence of retaining the Gutu East parliamentary seat after the revolutionary party held a series of highly-subscribed campaign rallies ahead of Saturday’s by-election.

The people of Gutu East will this weekend elect a new National Assembly representative to replace Mr Benjamin Ganyiwa, who was expelled from Zanu PF and automatically forfeited his right to represent the constituency.

Mr Ganyiwa was elected legislator for Gutu East in the 2023 harmonised elections and his sacking from Zanu PF triggered the June 14 parliamentary by-election.

Zanu PF will be represented by Cde Zvarevashe Masvingise in a three-candidate race that also includes an independent candidate Mr Gift Gonese and Mr Zivanai Nzvenga of the NCA party.

The ruling party campaign machinery was in full swing in Gutu East ahead of the plebiscite after holding several high-octane rallies to drum up support for Cde Masvingise.

Yesterday, all roads led to Kurai Primary School in Ward 16 in the constituency where a star campaign rally to drum up support for Cde Masvingise was graced by Zanu PF National Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha.

Accompanying Cde Machacha at the mother of all rallies ahead of voting were several Politburo and Zanu PF Central Committee members and the party’s Masvingo provincial executive led by Masvingo party chair Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa.

In his address at the rally, Cde Machacha described Masvingo province as a ruling party fortress.

“No opposition (party) can shake the foundations that hold us together and on June 14, Gutu East will reaffirm its allegiance to Zanu PF,” he said.

Cde Machacha said it was foregone that the ruling party will emerge with a runaway victory in Gutu East.

He paid homage to Zanu PF leaders at various levels of the party in Masvingo for remaining in touch with the grassroots which he said was a tonic for an emphatic electoral victory in the coming parliamentary by-election.

President Mnangagwa was guaranteed of a thumping win by Zanu PF in Gutu East constituency as his pro-people policies continue to keep a close connection between the ruling party and the majority.

Cde Machacha launched the US$25 000 Gutu East Presidential revolving fund that will offer capital for various income generating projects.

In his address, Cde Mavhenyengwa said the high attendance at Zanu PF campaign rallies ahead of Saturday’s by-election was a bold statement of intent by people in the constituency.

He said the people of Gutu East had made a choice to continue backing Zanu PF, a party with a long history of working closely with the majority of Zimbabweans to usher in a new epoch of transformative development.

Cde Mavhenyengwa said the ruling party was eyeing a landslide win in Gutu East, come Saturday.

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira described Zanu PF as the anchor of Zimbabwe’s national development and the march towards Vision 2030.

The minister, who is a Central Committee member, said Zimbabwe has undergone massive socio-economic transformation under President Mnangagwa’s leadership.

This, he said, was the source of mutual attraction between the party and the people noting that signature projects carried out by the Second Republic in spheres such as agriculture, health care and education, showed Zanu PF was a people’s party.

Cde Masvingise, the ruling party’s candidate, was equally effusive in his praise of Zanu PF’s pro-people policies.

He said he was humbled by the support he got to represent Zanu PF in Gutu East constituency noting that his priorities will be congruent with President Mnangagwa’s national vision to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy.

At the rally, the Deputy Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dingimuzi Phuti, donated 10 laptops to Kurai Primary School and pledged scores more to boost digital literacy across Gutu East.

Cotton Farmers 4ED also donated 30 sewing machines to women in Gutu East constituency under an empowerment drive.

If Zanu PF retains the parliamentary seat, it will restore the number of seats it controls in Masvingo province to 24 with the opposition CCC controlling only two; Chiredzi Central and Masvingo Urban.