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Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]

FOR the last four months, soccer and netball teams from the Emakhandeni/Luveve constituency have been converging at various grounds in the two suburbs to drive an anti-drug and alcohol abuse campaign.

Every Sunday, Emakhandeni suburb football ground is a hive of activity with teams battling it out all afternoon.

The same goes for teams that hail from the vast suburb of Luveve.

At the heart of the drug and alcohol abuse initiative is Zanu PF Member of Parliament (MP) candidate Cde Brian Samuriwo.

Through the Brian Samuriwo Foundation, the politician aims to harness the power of sports to eradicate social ills as well as foster community unity and encourage entrepreneurship endeavours for the youth.

Through sports, Cde Samuriwo wants to give youths in his constituency a platform to air out their grievances and also spell out the economic empowerment initiatives they would like him to assist them with.

“Politicians tend to be inaccessible to the community so we figured out that these sports tournaments will give the youths an opportunity to tell us their problems. At the same time, we want to use sports as a way of eradicating drug and alcohol abuse.

“The foundation has embarked on various empowerment projects like bricklaying, nurse aide courses, and poultry with youths in the Emakhandeni/Luveve constituency and we are happy with the response. Our youths are enthusiastic about taking part in the empowerment programmes.

“After the football and netball teams, I meet the youths for interactive sessions and I must say that I also learn a lot about their needs and expectations,” said Cde Samuriwo.

The politician is not worried about the threat posed by the opposition in the upcoming elections, considering that the ruling Zanu PF managed to win a single constituency in Bulawayo in the 2018 harmonised elections.

The revolutionary party grabbed a seat in parliament through Cde Raj Modi in the last elections.

“Voters in Bulawayo have come to the realisation that Zanu PF is the party of choice for development and prosperity.

“We are winning the constituency, I’m confident of that. The President has laid the groundwork for us to win resoundingly,” he added.

Cde Samuriwo has made it a cardinal rule to be visible in his constituency even in times of grief for community members.

A truck is at the disposal of community members to ferry water, firewood, and food for funerals anywhere in the Emakhandeni/Luveve constituency

For Cde Samuriwo, visibility in the community is the trump card that will ensure the revolutionary party sails to victory in the 23 August Harmonised Elections.

He will go up against Citizens for Coalitions Change (CCC) parliamentary candidate Discent Bajila.

The ruling party is expected to romp to victory in the hugely anticipated elections.