Aspiring candidates in Mpopoma’s ward 9 have stepped up their campaigns ahead of the March 26 local government by-elections.
The ward became vacant after the then councillor Donaldson Mabuto was recalled a year ago by the MDC- T leader Thokozane Khupe.
Mabuto is seeking to reclaim his seat but will have to shrug off challenges from David Ncube of All People’s Party (APP), Gasela Mhlaba of MDC-A, Lovemore Mnyamana of ZANU-PF, Philisani Ncube of Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD), and Innocent Msipa of UDA.
In an interview with CITE, Donaldson Mabutho said he was yet to start his campaign.
“We haven’t started the campaigns, we will launch ward 9 campaign towards month-end, we are still putting logistics together so that we have a perfect and quality campaign,” said Mabutho.
He said they are waiting for the campaign material to arrive from South Africa.
Mabutho said his recall set back some of the projects which were meant to be implemented in the ward.
“We had pending projects in Mpopoma. Matshobane sewer project started in 2019 with the laying of new bigger pipes and erection of main holes but it’s half done. When I got recalled and that project was never completed satisfactorily. We had the rehabilitation of Inyathi youth centre sports facilities and again my recall affected the project to take off using 3 percent ward retention facility,” he said.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF aspiring candidate Lovemore Mnyamana said the campaign is moving well.
“I don’t have any promises yet but only to tell the residents that I am going to represent them and all their challenges,” said Mnyamana.
LEAD aspiring candidate, Philisani Ncube said her campaigns are going on very well as she has been engaging youths and the elderly in the ward.
She said her party looks to address issues of service delivery in the ward.
“We are hoping to address water issues, refuse collection and I want to deal with sewer infrastructure,” said Ncube.
Ncube said she is also hoping to resuscitate recreational centers to empower the youths in the community.
“We also want to look into the issue of the twinning of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) with Scotland,” she said.
