By Promise Dube
A councillor from Matabeleland South who ran and lost as an independent candidate in the recent Insiza North by-election is calling for a new political movement rooted in the region’s unique concerns, saying mainstream party politics have failed to deliver meaningful change.
Lesley Dube, who represents Ward 15 in Insiza South, contested the parliamentary seat on 14 June and lost to Zanu PF candidate Delani Moyo.
Dube says Matabeleland should move beyond the conventional framework of party politics and instead build a grassroots movement that speaks to its own regional identity and needs.
“We should not focus on removing Zanu PF, but on building our own thing,” he said. “Whatever we’ve been trying all these years hasn’t worked. We can’t do the same thing again in the 2028 elections.”
He urged opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to support the formation of a Matabeleland-based movement that prioritises the region’s interests.
“If it’s possible, I would ask Chamisa to help the people of Matabeleland form our own movement that is going to look at our interests,” he said.
Dube drew comparisons to ZAPU, the liberation-era party that once dominated Matabeleland politics.
“There was no opposition party in Matabeleland. It was only ZAPU, and it catered for almost everyone. I think if we can go back to that spirit, it would be best for our region,” he said.
He believes such a movement should focus on cultural preservation, inclusive governance, and longstanding issues like marginalisation and the unresolved legacy of the Gukurahundi atrocities.
“Our problems are different from those of Mashonaland,” he said. “There’s marginalisation, Gukurahundi, and the concerns of many minority tribes here that need to be addressed.”
Although he was unsuccessful in the by-election, Dube says the campaign revealed an appetite for change in Matabeleland.
“I ran as an independent because I wanted to see if our people are ready for something new,” he said. “And they are.”
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