Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: August 23: Zanu PF loses grip in restive Matabeleland – The Southern Eye

Ibhetshu likaZulu coordinator Mbuso Fuzwayo

ZANU PF’s support in Matabeleland has shrunk as seen in the recent elections where the ruling party surrendered a number of seats to the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

 The ruling party held majority seats in Matabeleland North and South before the August 23 election with the CCC only maintaining Bulawayo as its main stronghold.

Zanu PF also won the former Bulawayo South constituency in the 2018 elections after the MDC Alliance fielded double candidates.

In  that elections, Zanu PF got eight seats in Matabeleland North while the MDC Alliance then led by Nelson Chamisa got five.

In the August elections, CCC made inroads in the province and now has nine seats.

In Bulawayo in 2018, the MDC Alliance got 11 seats with one going to Zanu PF.

In the just ended elections, CCC swept all the 12 seats in the country’s second city.

In Matabeleland South, Zanu PF got 12 seats while MDC Alliance got one seat in 2018.

The CCC made inroads in the province and won four seats while Zanu PF got six seats in the recent election.

In total, Zanu PF lost a total of eight of the seats it got in the previous polls.

CCC now has a total of 25 seats compared to Zanu PF with 10.

Bulawayo based political commentator Effie Ncube said the declining support for Zanu PF in Matabeleland was not surprising.

“In a free and fair election, it would have been difficult for the party to pick even a single seat,” Ncube said.

 “People expect an end to the economic crisis.

“They want an end to the pain of not being able to give quality life to their children.”

South Africa-based educationist and political commentator Nkosilathi Ncube said voters rejected Zanu PF for failing to deliver on its 2018 election promises.

“Unfortunately roads in Matabeleland such as Victoria Falls – Bulawayo, Nkayi -Bulawayo, Beitbridge -Bulawayo, Tsholotsho -Bulawayo, and Bulawayo-Kezi roads are worse than in 2018,” Ncube said.

“People of this region feel betrayed.

“Devolution is just a pipe dream.

“The Zanu PF manifesto was not fulfilled. People’s little trust has evaporated.”

Ncube said the unresolved issues such as the Gukurahundi massacres also cost Zanu PF.

“People in Matabeleland have not forgotten,” he said.

Ibhetshu likaZulu coordinator, Mbuso Fuzwayo, said Zanu PF has never been popular in Matabeleland.

“The future is bleak because the man at the helm is the face of the genocide and in his last term,” Fuzwayo said.

Human rights groups say over 20 000 civilians were killed after late strongman Robert Mugabe deployed the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade to hunt down alleged dissidents.

Mnangagwa was the State Security minister during the infamous programme, which observers say was meant to destroy Zapu led by former vice president Joshua Nkomo as an opposition party.

Nkayi Community Parliament speaker Nhlanhla Ncube said Zanu PF was punished for the mass suffering and poverty in Matabeleland.

“The removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe had woodwinked some into thinking that things had changed,” he said.

“For decades the people of Matabeleland have been voting for nothing.

“I think they are not ready to tolerate that anymore.

“There is nothing to expect from Zanu-PF…expecting them to deliver is like expecting a mule to get pregnant.”

Rural Community Empowerment Trust Matabeleland North coordinator Vumani Ndlovu said: “In Bulawayo like in other urban set up Zanu PF f is unsellable because of the economic hardships.

After rising to power through a coup that toppled Mugabe in 2017, Mnangagwa promised a swift resolution of the Gukurahundi issue and addressing the perennial marginilisation of the region, but he has delivered very little.

Source: Joy as Zapu finally wins council seat – The Southern Eye

Zapu last won a seat in 1985 when the party was led by the late vice president Joshua Nkomo before it merged with Zanu PF two years later in order to bring to an end the Matabeleland massacres that claimed at least 20 000 lives.

ZAPU finally won one council seat in Matabeleland South during the August 23 election for the first time in three decades.

Zapu last won a seat in 1985 when the party was  led by the late vice president Joshua Nkomo before it merged with Zanu PF two years later in order to bring to an end the Matabeleland massacres that claimed at least 20 000 lives.

In 2008, the late Dumiso Dabengwa led a number of ex-PF Zapu officials in breaking away from Zanu PF and relaunched the former liberation movement.

Dabengwa led the rejuvenated Zapu until he died in May 2019.

Zapu, now led by Nkomo’s son, Sibangilizwe, won the ward 17 seat in Matobo during the elections.

The winning councilor Mpendulo Ncube (30) of Makorokoro village admitted that winning the seat was not easy as odds were staked against him.

“We lacked resources to fund our campaigns like other political parties,” Ncube told Southern Eye on Sunday.

“We were doing door-to-door campaigns telling people the truth

“We started campaigning in 2018.

“When I came from South Africa in 2021, I found villagers looking for someone who could spearhead development in the ward and they chose me to represent them.”

Ncube said he will push a development agenda in the council.

“One of my main tasks it to push for the rehabilitation of Tsheza  Dam wall that was destroyed in 2000,” he said.

“A primary school was pegged at Newdam village in 1996, but since then nothing tangible has taken place.

“We are in the process of mobilising resources for the construction of this abandoned primary school for the sake of our infantry classes, who are made to travel long distances in search of education.”

Zapu national organising secretary Ndodana Moyo, said Ncube’s victory showed that the party was not dead.

“We are excited that Zapu is now being recognised by the people,” he said.

“We are now on a recovery path; look at what happened in Gwanda North ward 4.

“We are happy that we won in Makorokoro at a place which was visited by President Emmerson Mnangagwa where he commissioned a garden for spinach.

“People rejected Zanu PF.”

Zanu PF and the Citizens Coalition for Change won most of the local government seats in the just ended elections.

Source: 70 year-old proposes to stepdaughter – The Standard

A 70-year-old man has been accused of making sexual advances on his stepdaughter to spite his wife for denying him conjugal rights.

Ruramai Mushayi told Harare magistrate Sharon Mashavira on Friday that she was now seeking a protection order against Douglas Chamboko.

Mushayi said she feared that Chamboko may end up raping her 20-year-old daughter.

“We have had our marital problems and have been sleeping separately,” she said.

“Now, he has been proposing love to my daughter and he sends her messages that he enjoys watching her sleep.”

Chamboko admitted making advances on his step-daughter to spite his wife.

“I admit that I made a mistake in attempting to propose love to my step daughter but I only did it to provoke my wife, who has been sexually starving me for six years,” he submitted.

Mashavira warned Chamboko against abusing his wife and stepdaughter.

Source: Violence drives women away from elections

 United Zimbabwe Alliance leader Elisabeth Valerio was the only female presidential aspirant compared to four in 2018.

WOMEN’S rights’ groups have cited political intimidation and violence as the major reason why fewer women participated in the August 23 and 24 elections compared to 2018.

 While women constitute the majority of the country’s population, over the years, women’s participation in politics has been declining with only 11% participating in the August election.

 United Zimbabwe Alliance leader Elisabeth Valerio was the only female presidential aspirant compared to four in 2018.

 In 2018 there was 48% women representation in the Senate, 31,5% in the National Assembly and a mere 13,3% in local government.

 In last month’s elections, the participation of women regressed with women candidates accounting for 11% only.

 According to an election situational report from one of the country’s leading women groups, there were documented cases where women were victims of voter intimidation by political parties.

 Women organisations said there was need for strong interventions to improve chances of women gaining mileage in the political landscape.

 Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe chairperson Madrine Chiku said female politicians faced discrimination from their male counterparts.

 “Stereotypes and double standards still exist and this was noted in the just ended elections where there was more focus on women political candidates’ private lives rather than their political careers,” Chiku said.

 Chiku said changing societal attitudes towards women in politics was crucial to encourage their participation in political processes.

 “There is a need to implement quotas or affirmative action policies that can help increase women’s representation as well as encourage and support women to enter politics through training and mentorship programmes,” she said.

 “Women’s organisations and allies can advocate for gender equality in political leadership.”

Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (Walpe) media and publication officers Helen Kadirire said violence was the major reason why women did not participate in politics.

 “Women have always been on the receiving end of political violence and they do not get enough protection thereby the environment is not conducive enough for them to participate freely and fairly,” Kadirire said.

 Kadirire said female politicians were also victims of cyber bullying.

 “As Walpe we are also pushing for the change of the electoral system from first post to proportional representation and in this way women can be safeguarded from the ills of electoral violence and vote buying,” she said.

 “We are asking the relevant authorities to adhere to the constitution so there can be 50/50 representation.”

 Imba Mukadzi Umuzi Ngumama Trust director Siphathisiwe Moyo  said political parties must ensure gender parity and equality.

Opposition politician Linda Masarira said women in politics faced systematic and structural attacks from their male counterparts.

 “As long as women have not mastered the art of being each other’s keeper, we are going to continue seeing a decline in their participation for public seats,” Masarira said.

Source: Man threatens to shoot wife – The Standard

A Harare woman says her husband was in the habit of threatening to shoot her dead whenever they had a domestic dispute.

This was revealed at the Harare civil court where Lorraine Tembedza from Dzivaresekwa pleaded with magistrate Sharon Mashavira to order Stanford Jasi to stop pointing a gun at her.

 “I am now living in fear as he is a violent man who has developed a habit of threatening me with his gun,” she said.

Tembedza said she was forced to flee her matrimonial home as she feared for her life.

“I want to go back to my matrimonial home but may you please ask him to keep the gun away from the house,” she said.

Jasi confirmed having a gun, but denied that he was physically abusing his wife.

“She is lying that I have pointed the gun at her,” he said.  “I found out that she was using juju on me.”

Mashavira ordered Jasi to stop issuing death threats against his wife.