The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Correspondent
“I foresee disaster in Bulawayo if an opposition mayoral candidate wins the election,” is a quote within a Chronicle March 08 2001 article headlined “DISASTER if opposition wins election: farmer”.
It is now two decades since former hotelier and farmer, Mr Japhet Mpofu uttered this prediction at the beginning of the new millennium and has once again made a retrospection of his words ahead of the up-coming by-elections on Saturday.
Prior knowledge of possible dangers or problems gives one a tactical advantage and this is why there is a proverb that reads ‘forewarned is forearmed’.
Probably if Bulawayo residents had listened to this warning, they would not be facing the poor service delivery which has been coupled by economic inconsiderate decisions like subjecting its residents to the most expensive parking system in the country.
The hotelier at that time ran a number of state-of-the-art hotels in town that included Greys Inn, Selbourne Hotel and Windermere to mention but a few when he uttered these sentiments.
Twenty years down the line, the opposition which has over the past decades dominated the local authorities has been accused of failing to deliver quality service delivery and bringing any transformative impact.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Chronicle on 07 March 2001, Mr Mpofu predicted that development projects would come to a standstill if an opposition party candidate won the polls.
“If an opposition candidate becomes mayor of Bulawayo, he will simply be a mayor for the purpose of earning a monthly salary and nothing else. There is no way the city will develop.
“I do not want to tell people to vote for so and so, but my message is clear, cast your vote wisely, vote for development,” said Mr Mpofu.
Mr Mpofu at the time urged Bulawayo residents to be wary of “external forces”, which he said were bent on creating confusion in Zimbabwe.
Two decades later, this reporter caught up with the retired businessman and farmer who reiterated that he still stood by his prediction which has however proven true.
Mr Mpofu said with urbanites reeling under poor service delivery from the opposition, the prediction remains a wake-up call to residents of Bulawayo and all other cities.
Bulawayo is set to fill eight local authority seats and two National assembly seats in the upcoming by elections.
“I told Bulawayo residents back in 2001 that if they vote in an opposition candidate, I foresee disaster. Probably I cannot narrate every detail as to how they have run the town down but I’m sure you can observe for your own. The ruling party which forms the government is on a developmental trajectory hence the need to support this development,’ said Mr Mpofu.
