Ncube is loosening purse strings in the constituency, even
promising WiFi access points to a suburb that is crying out for water and roads
among other social amenities.
He has also promised to drill 20 boreholes and set up
nutritional gardens just two weeks after
he won the ticket to represent Zanu PF in the polls uncontested.
It will be the first time for Ncube to contest after he
joined President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government in 2018 as a technocrat.
Indications are that Ncube will battle it out with Citizens
Coalition for Change (CCC) politician Thokozani Khupe, who is also eyeing the
constituency.
On Friday, CCC Bulawayo spokesperson Swithern Chiroodza
said Khupe has not yet been confirmed as the party candidate for the
constituency.
“We cannot, for now, tell whether she has availed herself
for the selection or not,” Chiroodza said.
“Papers were collected yesterday (Thursday) and now we have
to wait for the compilation, validation and vetting process to take place
before any announcement can take place.”
Meanwhile, Ncube has hit the ground running, and is
spending a lot of time away from the capital to hold cluster rallies in Cowdray
Park.
Last weekend, Ncube promised to drill boreholes for the
constituency.
“Cowdray Park will have clean water everywhere,” Ncube
said.
Drilling a borehole costs upwards of US$1500. “As your aspiring MP, I have hit
the ground running with delivering that which the people have requested as the
government works on a permanent solution to the water situation in Bulawayo,”
he said.
“As such we have a targeted 20 boreholes, which will be
equipped with nutritional gardens.
“Widows and vulnerable groups approached us with this
brilliant idea and we are already delivering on that promise.”
He has also made several promises such as improving the
road network and to provide Wi-Fi service at all houses.
Political Analyst Kudakwashe Munemo said Ncube must declare
his source of income.
“That’s transactional politics. It is political patronage
at play and l highly suspect abuse of state resources and programmes,” Munemo
said.
“It’s highly likely that he is leveraging government
programmes to aid his political campaign.”
Bulawayo based political analyst Methuseli Moyo said the Finance minister will have a mammoth task in winning the hearts of the voters that have religiously voted for the opposition.
“Cowdray Park is a unique urban settlement with unique
problems and history,” Moyo said.
“That place needs development.
“Being a person of influence in and outside government, it
is not surprising that he raised such funds or facilitated the provision of
those items.”
Ncube is the former chief economist and vice president of
the African Development Bank . He is a former banker and holds PHD in economics
from Cambridge University. Standard
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