By Darlington Gatsi
DESPITE the government dangling trinkets, independent candidate Tungamirai Madzokere is upbeat about maintaining the opposition’s stranglehold in Glen View South ahead of today’s by-election.
Glen View South constituency will vote this Saturday to elect a legislator to replace the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament (MP), Grandmore Hakata, who passed away in March.
Zanu PF has gone out of its way to construct roads and donate computers to schools in Glen View through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to lure voters.
Tranquility Tsitsi Tawomhera is running on a Zanu PF ticket for the vacant seat.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Madzokere said he faced mudslinging from Zanu PF supporters in the constituency.
“We have encountered so many challenges, but we managed to overcome them. Voters were expressing apathy, but we convinced them to vote in Saturday’s by-election.
“Some of the underhand tactics used against us ended up working in our favour. Our posters were removed by Zanu PF supporters, but the electorate know who to vote for,” said Madzokere.
The Glen View South parliamentary seat has been elusive for the ruling party since the constituency was established in 2008.
Zanu PF is aiming to take advantage of the disarray in the opposition to snatch the constituency from them.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa deployed his advisor, Paul Tungwarara, to dole out donations to the electorate. Recently, a high-powered Zanu PF delegation comprising Tungwarara, Provincial Affairs Minister Charles Tavengwa, National Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, among others, launched a US$200,000 Presidential Empowerment Fund supposedly to benefit ordinary citizens.
Madzokere said the electorate would not be swayed by the ruling party’s short-term vote-buying schemes.
“People are actually wishing elections were held more often so that the money being spent could be put to good use. Glen View South has only seen development from the Zanu PF candidate when it is election time.
“People have been given hampers. Glen View residents are accepting the gifts, but they know the difference between being given fish and being taught how to fish.
“People can buy groceries for themselves when the economy is strong, when they are empowered, and when there is no corruption. When it comes to the election, they will vote for the candidate of their choice—someone they know and trust in the area,” said Madzokere.