IT is that silly season again of electioneering with candidates employing all sorts of strategies to lure the electorate.
In one of the season’s most interesting offerings, a female war veteran, Eunice Mangwende, a Zanu PF independent candidate is currently giving the ruling party a torrid moment in Murewa North constituency, Mashonaland East (Mash East) province.
Mangwende has refused to bow down to pressure to withdraw her candidature because she feels she has what it takes to win the constituency which has been under Zanu PF for years.
And, indeed, she is proving to be an Iron Lady of not only the constituency but country: She has amassed the courage to contest against one of the most powerful politicians in the land, Daniel Garwe.
Garwe is the National Housing and Social Amenities minister and also Zanu PF Mash East provincial chairperson.
Other candidates in the constituency include Peter Magaso (Independent) and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC’s) Kennedy Nyabinde.
But Mangwende is undeterred from contesting because she feels her party’s primary elections were chaotic and that there is need to “restore order in the constituency”.
NewsDay Weekender caught up Mangwende at Murewa growth point.
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Sitting inside a gazebo and rarely talking, Mangwende who calls herself, The Good Samaritan, who happens to also be a journalist, summarised her game plan thus: “I am going to contest. I am a journalist by profession, I know you want a scoop, I will give you one once the time is ripe.”
The war veteran is one of the many disgruntled Zanu PF members who participated in the party’s April chaotic internal polls marred by alleged massive rigging and manipulation.
In Murewa North, Mangwende and other Zanu PF candidates were left disgruntled and accused “various forces” of rigging the internal polls in favour of Garwe.
NewsDay Weekender is reliably informed that some party members from Murewa were summoned to the party headquarters where they were quizzed over Mangwende’s candidature.
Recently, a high powered delegation from the provincial women's league was reportedly deployed in the constituency to de-campaign the war veteran.
According to her election manifesto, Mangwende says she is the Good Samaritan coming to rescue the area as far as development is concerned.
As part of her campaigning strategies, she has been moving door to door as well as using various media platforms.
CCC candidate, Nyabinde said his party is capitalising on the circus within the constituency.
“Mangwende will get her votes from her pool, the same as Garwe, but this is the Zanu PF pool. This means we have an advantage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the onslaught ensues on Mangwende with the party deploying all its machinery to stop The Good Samaritan.
Double candidates curse
It seems the ghost of independent candidates is haunting Murewa North Constituency after it first emerged in 2013 when the incumbent legislator Garwe contested as an independent candidate against Zanu PF candidate Tendai Makunde. Makunde won the election.
Who is Mangwende?
According to her biography, Mangwende joined the liberation struggle in 1975 via Villa Perry to Mozambique and stayed at Junda Camp before proceeding to open Nyadzonya Base.
In the same year, she went to Chimoio where she received military and political training.
In 1977, she was one of the first female platoons to be deployed in combat in Gaza province.
After independence, she was employed by the Information, Post and Telecommunications ministry where she held several positions.
As an author, she has published two political books: In My Tribulations Lies My Victory and The Black Boiling Kettle From Africa.
Though regarded as a rebel by party members, Mangwende has defied odds by following her dream of contesting in one of the country’s political hotbeds and against powerful politicians.
Despite the massive smear campaigns and mudslinging against her, The Good Samaritan is determined to “rescue” her neglected constituency.
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