Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has said it is confident of reclaiming all the six Binga Rural District Council (RDC) seats in the by-elections slated for December 3.
The seats fell vacant following the recent recall of councillors by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T.
The six are Wilson Siampolomba, Kariangwe Ward; Mathias Mudenda, Simatelele Ward; Kingson Mpofu; Kalungwizi Ward; Joseph Mweembe, Sikalenge Ward; Chrispen Munkuli, Lubimbi Ward and John Sikabotu representing Siachilaba ward.
“I am 100 percent confident that the six wards are going to be retained, the six wards are coming to the CCC; there are no two ways about that and even ZANU-PF themselves are aware of this,” CCC Matabeleland North provincial chairman, Prince Dubeko Sibanda told CITE.
“Preparations for the 3rd December by-elections are progressing quite well in all six wards in Binga. I am happy with the manner that the campaigns are taking place. I think we are well on course. We haven’t encountered many challenges so far in our campaigns with the exception of the usual challenges that include resources but other than that, I think our campaigns are progressing flawlessly.”
Sibanda said they stood ready to defend themselves in the event of an attack similar to the one suffered by his party in Matabeleland South in the hands of suspected ZANU-PF supporters a few days before the October 2022 by-elections, which left some of their members injured and hospitalised.
“You see, if you are to look at the modus operandi of the ZANU-PF thugs that attack people, usually those are people who will be coming from outside the constituency where the violence takes place,” said Sibanda.
“Now as for us as Binga, we are a well-knit community who know each other and the community is ready to defend itself against any invaders who will be coming from foreign areas. So there isn’t really much preparation that we need to do save to say that as a community we are always ready to defend ourselves against any intruders and invaders who will be coming to attack us.”
He challenged the Binga community to reject ZANU-PF in the forthcoming by-elections.
“My word to the people of Binga remains the same: Don’t forget that ZANU-PF doesn’t care about you, as the people of Binga,” he said.
“We have said this time without number that ZANU-PF is not a party for the Tonga people, it is a party for the Karanga and Zezuru. They care not about us and we have sufficient evidence to prove that and therefore the people of Binga should remain steadfast and know that there is no need to embrace those who do not care about us. We embrace only those who care about us.”
In Ward 6, it will be a three-horse race pitting Felix Munsaka of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Misheck Mwinde of Zanu PF, and Joseph Mwembe of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who won the seat in 2018 garnering 2,302 votes for the MDC-Alliance.
In ward 8, Collen Mudenda of Zanu PF will square up against Mathias Mudenda of CCC. Mudenda who was also representing MDC Alliance polled 1,087 against Zanu PF’s Anderson Muzamba who got 351 in the 2018 elections.
In ward 10, John Simunene Sikabotu will try to reclaim his seat when he faces Ronald Muleya of Zanu PF. In 2018, Sikabotu received 1,168 votes against Zanu PF’s Clay Mudimba who got 412.
In Ward 15, Wilson Siampolomba who prevailed with 1,237 votes against Bernard Mudenda who polled 650 votes, will this time face Douglas Munkuli of the ruling party.
Ward 20, will see Crispen Munkuli battle it out with Luyando Muleya of Zanu PF. In 2018, Munkuli beat Zanu PF’s Kenne Mumpande by 1140 votes to 445.
In ward 23, Kingson Mpofu will be hoping to quickly bounce back into office when he faces Petros Mutale of Zanu PF. In 2018, Mpofu beat the ruling party’s candidate Patrick Dube amassing 1,334 votes while Dube only managed 787 votes.
The ruling party has struggled to win elections in Binga, one of the country’s impoverished districts since the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 2000.
