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Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Cde Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has called on party members to remain calm and avoid violence during tomorrow’s by-elections.

The country will hold by-elections to fill over 133 council and parliamentary seats.

Most of the vacancies in local authorities and Parliament were created when the Supreme Court ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate leader of the MDC-T.

This resulted in the MDC-T recalling councillors, MPs and senators who belonged to that party under the MDC-Alliance banner but refused to acknowledge the court judgements.

Addressing party members after a campaign march to drum up support for Ward 7 candidate Cde Thembani Mathuthu yesterday, Cde Ndlovu said party members should vote peacefully and respect the law.

“We don’t want to hear of party members being involved in skirmishes with people from other parties. Let’s go and vote peacefully and choose the leaders we want peacefully,” said Cde Ndlovu.

He encouraged party members to go and vote in their numbers in order to secure the Ward 7 seat.

Cde Ndlovu said it was important to elect councillors who can deliver on the needs of the people.

“We heard of the water challenges in Gwanda and our President is a listening President. The short term and long-term solutions have been looked into. Two boreholes have so far been drilled in Ward 7 but that will not solve Gwanda’s water problems as a whole. Public Works Minister July Moyo has since given a directive that municipalities should run their own water systems which is expected to improve service delivery and water challenges will be a thing of the past,” said Cde Ndlovu.

He continued: “We need local authorities that function well. People have serious water challenges, refuse is not collected, there are sewer reticulation issues and many other challenges which need to be addressed. The government is committed to ensuring people live in clean environments with constant availability of water.”

-@Yolisswa