Zimbabwe Party Candidates Fight for Vungu Constituency
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai campaigning Thursday afternoon in Vungu constituency, Lower Gweru, Midlands province.
WASHINGTON DC —
With the Zimbabwean elections only six days away aspiring candidate of Vungu constituency in Lower Gweru, Ezra Sibanda of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai says he hung up his microphone and left the diaspora where he was in exile to bring change and development to the people of Vungu.
Sibanda, a former radio personality who worked for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, says the experience he received while in Britain will be invaluable in the development of Vungu should he be elected.
"I was forced into exile because I refused to peddle propaganda for the government but I am now back. I know that my party has a real chance of winning the elections. I want to bring development to the people of Vungu. For over 30 years they have heard there is independence but are not enjoying the fruits," said Sibanda.
Sibanda says he wants to improve the people’s standard of living, set up youth projects and fight for the enaction of laws that will lead to the creation of jobs nationwide.
"I want to help the Vungu community to start income generating projects, to fix the roads and upgrade the infrastructure,” added Sibanda.
Some of Sibanda's critics accuse him of abondoning the ship when it was sinking but he has dismissed that as wishful thinking, saying he left the country when his life was in danger.
MDC aspiring candidate Grey Nyathi says his chances of clinching the Vungu seat are very strong as his party has made inroads in the constituency.
Nyathi’s campaign manager, Fortune Mlalazi says if elected, the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube will concentrate on reviving the education system which has collapsed.
"MDC will definitely clinch this seat as our party has been working with the Vungu community for a long time and we have even enlisted the help of some former Zanu PF ex-combatants in campaigning for us," said Mlalazi.
"Although this constituency was a former Zanu PF stronghold this year they will not retain this seat because people are tired of lack of progress and empty promises, even the MDC-T does not scare us because we live in the area and have been actively working with this community, So come voting time, we know that they will vote MDC," added Mlalazi.
VOA Studio 7 reached the incumbent Josephat Madubeko who is seeking re-election on the Zanu PF ticket for his views but he declined to comment.
