The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF candidate for Makokoba Constituency Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube says the electorate has to be considerate of a calibre of individuals seeking to represent them in the House of Assembly.
Rtd Col Dube said he was confident of retaining the seat, which he won during parliamentary by-elections held in 2015 following the recalling of lawmakers linked to the Movement for Democratic Change Renewal Team by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T.
“I’m very confident of winning this time around because everything seems to be going well, judging from the response we are getting from our campaign. If one enters a race just like what an election is, they have to look at the calibre of the opposition and suffice to say none of them has the qualities I have, but obvious they are confident in their own right,” he said.
Rtd Col Dube said he was seeking a full term as Member of Parliament (MP) to enable him to fulfil his long time dream of ensuring development in the constituency, which is home to one of the country’s oldest townships, Makokoba.
“People have to appreciate that I have only been an MP for three years and in those few years I have managed to do a lot in my Constituency, which turned around lives of multitudes for the better. I’m calling on people to seriously scrutinise the other candidates whom I’m contesting with and see if they are worthy. All I’m asking for is to run a full term and everyone will see the developments I will bring in the constituency,” he said.
Rtd Col Dube has in the last two elections lost the constituency’s seat to opposition party candidates. He is however, one of the few politicians in the country that has over the years been instrumental in ensuring positive development in his constituency through implementing a number of projects as well as participating in charity work.
“I have over the years spearheaded numerous developmental projects which have been quite appreciated by the community and through this I have created a very close bond with the electorate. Though I have been initiating a lot of projects, I must say it took time for people to embrace them and to appreciate their impact on their livelihoods,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He said Makokoba constituency was one of the few urban constituencies in Bulawayo and the country as a whole whose majority of its populace was living in abject poverty.
“Most of our people in the constituency live under squalid conditions and are vulnerable and there is really a need to change their lives for the better. In that regard I have over the past two years invited specialist medical practitioners from Europe and China to offer free medical service to the people through Health Expos and this has been greatly appreciated as the majority can hardly raise money to cater for their medical bills,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He has also sourced textbooks for all schools in the Constituency, facilitated employment of qualified youths in various Government departments as well as sponsoring various sporting apparatus to the youths.
@DNsingo
