MRP to field candidates in Midlands and Matabeleland

The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) is only fielding candidates in Matabeleland and the Midlands, in the 2023 elections, claiming that their priority is to restructure Zimbabwe’s southwestern region through self-determination and local empowerment.

Party leader, Mqondisi Moyo, told CITE that the political landscape of Matabeleland and Midlands needed special attention so that inhabitants who have been neglected for years could access greater opportunities and be on par with other regions in the country.

“MRP is not fielding candidates in the whole of Zimbabwe. Our argument is that the MRP is fighting to consolidate Mthwakazi, which is Matabeleland and Midlands, which have been marginalised by those who claim to run Zimbabwe. Our struggle is not national but local and territorial. This is why we are running for council and parliamentary seats so that we can solve issues that affect local people,” he said, adding that he too was not running for the presidency in the Zimbabwean national elections.

“Our aim is to consolidate the political power of the region, which eluded us a long time ago when ZAPU joined hands with Zanu in the so-called Unity Accord in 1987.”

Moyo said unlike other political parties that sought votes for selfish reasons, MRP was a movement that ‘pragmatically’ served people and reiterated that their focus was not on national gains but on true local empowerment.

“We are not an electioneering party but a party of action. When we see a problem, we rush to solve it. Parties like Zanu PF and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) enjoy taking part in elections without even proffering solutions to their so-called electorate,” he said.

“We are focused on liberating people from the challenges brought on by the dominance of Zanu and other parties. So we will be fielding our candidates in the whole of Matabeleland and Midlands, that is the council and parliamentary seats in that area.”

According to the MRP leader, people in Matabeleland and the Midlands have been politically oppressed by the ruling Zanu PF, which has attempted to dominate the levers of power and further entrench itself nationwide while citizens continue to suffer.

 “Zanu PF using its 1979 grand plan has taken over almost everything in Matabeleland and Midlands. In that regard we are concentrating only in the Mthwakazi territory whereby our borderline is in Munyati River in Kwekwe so we cannot contest elections beyond the Munyathi border,” said the MRP leader.

“We only concentrate in Matabeleland and Midlands, this is what our people must know. Our participation in elections is all about us taking back our political power that has been in the hands of Zanu PF, MDC and CCC who have been dominating in Matabeleland and Midlands but have failed to improve the lives of people .”

Moyo added MRP was pushing hard on its agenda for self determination and at the same time, party members were busy on the ground working on selecting their candidates.

“We are not having primaries, all our people are nominated and selected on merit through consensus by our structures – structures will choose those candidates who have been working,” he said.