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Mupfumi re-donates ambulance

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Mutare businessman and Zanu PF central committee member Esau Mupfumi, who withdrew an ambulance he had donated after losing the 2008 senatorial elections, has once again donated the same ambulance ahead of the June 10 Dangamvura-Chikanga by-elections.

Mutare businessman and Zanu PF central committee member Esau Mupfumi, who withdrew an ambulance he had donated after losing the 2008 senatorial elections, has once again donated the same ambulance ahead of the June 10 Dangamvura-Chikanga by-elections.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

Mupfumi, who was defeated by MDC-T candidate Patrick Chitaka in the senatorial elections seven years ago, felt betrayed by the electorate, prompting him to withdraw his ambulance.

Since then, he has been wearing a bad boy tag and the electorate was reportedly not happy with the move.

Mupfumi’s decision to re-donate the ambulance was announced on Thursday night by Zanu PF secretary for administration and Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, who was being briefed on the progress the businessman had made in campaigning for the June 10 elections.

Chombo was happy with Mupfumi’s change of heart, saying this proved the politician was benevolent.

“It is true Mupfumi lost in senatorial elections, then he withdrew an ambulance that he had bought for the city. If you buy me a coke (drink) today because I love you, then you say give me my coke next week because I no longer love you. It is wrong,” he said.

“Mupfumi approached me saying he was angry and he made a mistake. He said he was returning the ambulance to the local municipality. And as a punishment, you (Mupfumi) are going to return the ambulance with 2 000 litres of fuel.”

Chombo added: “We are not going to give you anything because the ambulance belongs to the people of this city. But I would like to thank him for the good gesture.”

Mupfumi will battle it out with seven other candidates in the constituency who include Mavambo’s Fugamai Mawire, National Constitution Assembly member Ruramai Musiiwa, Gashirai Puwayi from the Freedom Front, Maxwell Teedza from Transform Zimbabwe.

Three independent candidates — James Mundenda, Kuziva Maundike and Chengetai Kadzere — are also vying for the Dangamvura-Chikanga seat which fell vacant recently after the sitting MP Arnold Tsunga was recalled together with 20 others who defected from the MDC-T to the MDC Renewal Team.