Nyasha Grace Magumise said she decided to contest for Harare’s Ward 16 seat as an independent candidate after being grossly disappointed by the poor state of the city.
By Tinotenda Munyukwi
The youthful candidate told NewsDay yesterday that despite being a qualified teacher who might have chosen to concentrate on her job, she could not continue resting on her laurels as Harare, the former Sunshine city, continues on a downward trend.
“l have decided to run for council because l am tired of the lack of service delivery in my ward,” Magumise said.
“I reside in Sentosa (Mabelreign) and our biggest challenges are lack of water and irregular refuse collection. I got tired of complaining and not seeing any results and so decided to stand up for the residents of my ward in council.”
Driven by the experience she attained from both her educational and entrepreneurial background, Magumise said she believes she has what it takes to challenge the current crop of councillors who have presided over the city’s underdevelopment.
She also said she was motivated to defy all negative gender perceptions that continue to favour men in mainstream politics.
“I am very confident that I can perform better than the current crop of councillors, some of whom outgoing mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has described as illiterate.
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“A number of men have looked down upon me and have been very dismissive but I have chosen to rise above the unfortunate comments and focus on my campaign,” Magumise said.
The aspiring councillor is one of the many independent candidates vying for council seats that are part of the People’s Own Voice Coalition (Povo), a platform being used to exchange and share ideas which can positively impact on the City of Harare.
Povo has received widespread criticism, with some saying it compromises the autonomy of independent candidates, while some have suggested that it transforms into a political party for an improved chance of wooing the electorate.
“l am and will remain independent; we are passionate about our city in general, but more specifically our individual wards and being part of Povo has helped me with sharing of resources and ideas,” she said.
