The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
ONE of Zanu-PF’s stalwart and losing candidate for the Member of Parliament for Makokoba in Bulawayo, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube will not contest for a seat in the 2023 harmonised elections.
Rtd Col Dube announced his decision not to contest in the 2023 elections at a gathering in Makokoba suburb yesterday to thank the ruling party supporters for voting for him albeit on a losing cause.
“I am getting old but I am working in the party for now. I am the Deputy Secretary for Finance and I await other appointments in the party they may intend to give me but for standing as a Member of Parliament for Makokoba it’s over.
“The fact that I lost the elections doesn’t mean we have parted ways. It’s merely that age is catching up with me and I have to pass the baton to youngsters but I will continue doing all the livelihood improvement projects I did before,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He said people in Makokoba should always bear in mind that all the developmental projects he initiated were never meant to be vote buying gimmicks.
“I have over the years carried out a number of developmental projects for people in this constituency. Suffice to say, all those initiatives weren’t vote buying but only to ensure a better livelihood for my people of which I will continue doing. I must say I have had some altercations with my wife about my decision to contest in elections but I have always told her it was solely for the love of the people and the will of seeing them living a better life,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He said he could have lost the election but was elated that the ruling party has remained the dominant party in the country.
“I have met a number of people that say Tshinga how come you lost but my response will be that they are insane because Zanu-PF won the election and I don’t even mourn about losing because ED (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) is in power and the party has the majority in Parliament,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He failed to retain the seat he won during parliamentary by-elections held in 2015.
@DNsingo
