Tsholotsho South by-election candidates have begun canvassing for votes ahead of next month’s by-elections.
Tapson Nganunu Sibanda (CCC) will battle it out with Bongani Moyo (Independent), Leonard Mthombeni (ZAPU), and Musa Ncube (ZANU PF) for the vacant seat.
The Tsholotsho South National Assembly seat fell vacant in August last year following the death of Zenzo Sibanda (ZANU-PF) who succumbed to Covid-19.
In the 2018 polls, the late Sibanda polled 8, 283 against his closest contender, Innocent Zenzo Nkomo (MDC Alliance)’s 2, 508.
Tsholotsho South Constituency, with borders Bulilima District of Matabeleland South, has 12 wards and covers Tjefunye, Bhubhude, Nkuzi, Mbamba, Madlan’ombe, Sikente, Mazibisa, Nhlangano, Manqe, Tsholotsho centre, Mtshina, Ntulula, Mthanyelwana, Nembe, Mkhubazi Nanda, Shaba, Makhaza, Malanda, Godo, Mhlabangubo, Mbambangamandla, Nindi, Dlula and other areas.
Speaking to CITE from the ground while campaigning, Sibanda said CCC’s campaigns were organised around 67 polling stations in the constituency.
“Our party adopted polling station-based branches,” said Sibanda.
“We have so far covered about 50 polling stations out of the 67. So far so good on the ground. We have not encountered challenges so far in Tsholotsho, we haven’t experienced any violence, and even the security forces haven’t harassed us.”
He said the response was “very encouraging.”
“People are responding very well but of course, you can’t be everywhere at the same time, but where we have reached, people have welcomed us very well. We are optimistic,” he said.
The CCC candidate said once elected into office, he would address the challenges of infrastructure, water among others in Tsholotsho.
“Tsholotsho South has quite a number of challenges on the ground, the state of the roads is one issue that I think we can tackle,” he said.
“We have got other challenges like the infrastructure at schools. The new focus at schools is digitalisation, we are now in the computer world. We would also like to make noise about the issue of water for both livestock and people.
He added that he would also make sure that youths and school dropouts have a source of income.
One of Sibanda’s contenders, Ncube from ZANU-PF also said her campaigns were peaceful and progressing well.
“We are working on the ground as the ruling party, which has direction and knows what it is doing,” she told CITE over the phone.
“We have not started holding rallies, we are still doing door-to-door campaigns. We do not have any challenges, everything is progressing well because people are ours. We are reminding [of the polls] people and engaging them and giving them updates.
Asked what she was promising the electorate once voted into office, Ncube had this to say: “It is bad to promise people; let the people send you,” she said.
“We get elected by people so they can send us so we can work for them. If you promise people, you end up lying and promising unfounded things and spaghetti roads when there are no vehicles for such roads in Tsholotsho. We are waiting for people to send us. We are the servant leaders.”
She added: “I urge the people of Tsholotsho to go and vote for ZANU-PF because it is a revolutionary party and has a tangible history.”
