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Joseph Madzimure, Zimpapers Elections Desk

ZANU-PF provincial leaders from Bulawayo and Matabeleland North yesterday met President Mnangagwa at State House where they congratulated him on winning last month’s Presidential Election and for leading his party to the attainment of a parliamentary majority.

These were the two remaining provinces after other provinces congratulated President Mnangagwa last week, with Masvingo and Mashonaland Central being the first.

The first to meet the President was Bulawayo province led by Cde Jabulani Sibanda and the delegation comprised Politburo members that included Cde Judith Ncube, Cde Elifas Mashaba and Cde Tshinga Dube among others.

Matabeleland North was led by Cde Richard Moyo who is the party’s provincial chairman.

He was also accompanied by Politburo members and other party members, notably Cde Jacob Mudenda, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni and Matabeleland North traditional leader and President of Chief’s Council Chief Mtshane Khumalo among others.

Speaking soon after paying a courtesy visit to President Mnangagwa, Cde Moyo said the province had benefited a lot from President Mnangagwa’s development programmes.

“We came here to congratulate the President because all these things that we have been able to achieve are because of the work of His Excellency.

“We worked hard as a party. I want to thank President Mnangagwa. He came to the ground. He held a rally in Nkayi and the ground was full to capacity and our Vice Presidents came for campaigns in Nkayi, Lupane, Hwange and Victoria Falls,” said Cde Moyo.

In Matabeleland North province Zanu PF won four seats out of 13 and there is now a group of very marginal seats with majorities in low figures, with CCC wining most of these.

“As a province we won four constituencies out of 13 constituencies. This time it was not on our favour but come 2028, we promised President Mnangagwa that we are going to work hard,” said Cde Moyo.

In terms of development, he said Matabeleland North had benefited.

“We have got the Gwayi-Shangai Dam, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road which is under construction. We got Hwange Unit 7 and 8.”

Before President Mnangagwa came to power in 2017, there was persistent load shedding, but now it’s a thing of the past because Hwange Unit 7 and 8 was commissioned.

The devolution funds, he said we were channelled towards the construction of roads, clinics, schools and solar powered boreholes
He said the party was already on the ground campaigning for 2028 elections.

“As from now we are continuing with our campaigns, going to the ground and work for the party for 2028 elections. We are working towards getting our towns and cities back and it requires all of us to work together, put our foot on the pedal so that we can get all our seats back,” he said.

On his part, Cde Sibanda said the party failed to perform well in the just ended elections because of sanctions which has crippled the industries in Bulawayo. The sanctions imposed on Zimbabwean contributed immensely to the party’s losses in urban areas.

Cde Sibanda said the party lost because the ground was not even favouring the imperialists machinations who thrive on crippling the economy to suffocate the people so that they revolt against the Government

“We lost in towns because in rural areas, people are depending on what they have like cattle. But in towns people depends on employment. Yesterday in Bulawayo, people left Makokoba, left Pumula to go and work in town, but today because of the sanctions imposed on us people are no longer going to work but they are going to sell whatever they have to make a leaving, because of that it is frustrating the people.

“Fortunately, President Mnangagwa has a vision. He is bringing water in Bulawayo, Manhize Steel company in Mvuma will resurrect the National Railways of Zimbabwe headquartered in Bulawayo.

“NRZ used to have more than 18 000 employees and the Bulawayo City council used to have between 12000-15000 workers. The fact that NRZ collapsed because of sanctions and other factors that affected us. Our banking systems were structured from an imperialist method in a manner that a jam they put into it, they can jam the whole systems and collapses.

“Now once the Manhize steel company is running and resurrected the railway systems in our own terms, the water system in our own terms, as we have resuscitated the electricity through the rehabilitation of Hwange Unit 7 and 8 through our terms then those sanctions won’t apply and will not be effective in our economy,” said Cde Sibanda.

People, he said should understand that Zanu PF is a revolutionary party with sound policies meant for the people, while CCC had nothing to offer.
The party he said will fight hard to determine its destiny.

“We are going to do our work properly for us to defend the revolution it is pinned on how much we distribute as knowledge to our people to sacrifice themselves so that they defend their revolution and their right to their destination as a people.

“The CCC councillors can occupy the council and we will occupy the houses. The houses structures that are there are massive. There is a lot that is happening. The situation is what it is now, but we say this is what we have. It is not going to pull us down; we are a people, we have been yesterday, we will be fighting today to determine our own destiny, not only as the people of Bulawayo, not only as a people of Zimbabwe but as a black race of Africa,” he said

Meanwhile, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega congratulated President Mnangagwa on his resounding victory in the just ended harmonised elections.

“From our blessed and always FREE Nicaragua, with respect and recognition we salute you, the people and Government of Zimbabwe, and the Zanu PF party, for the electoral victory achieved in the Presidential elections of that sister nation.

“We congratulate the brave people of Zimbabwe and convey our best wishes for success, peace, prosperity and good living in this new period of Government, reiterating our unwavering commitment to continue strengthening the fraternal bonds of solidarity and brotherhood that unite our peoples and Governments,” reads the congratulatory message.