By Shongedzai Mugwagwa

The Government of Zimbabwe, led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on record calling for the unconditional removal of the Western imposed illegal sanctions on the Southern African State, arguing that the punitive measures have set the country back decades in terms of development.

Armchair critics as their norm, criticised the tactic regarding it as a tired rhetoric. Little did they know that President Mnangagwa was stewarding a new formidable party and harnessing voters by acknowledging their day to day hardships.

The sanction card was a trump card which knocked out opposition theatrics who instead of becoming people centric, attacked Zanu PF for raising the sanctions issue.

Little did they know that their (MDC) continued advocacy for the continuity of sanctions on the country would work to their disadvantage one day.

Yes, that one day is finally here.

That Zanu PF is on a mission to harness and reclaim long lost local urban council is not a secret anymore.

A land mark romp to victory by Zanu PF in the Cowdray Park local council by elections held over the weekend sent quivers and shivers to MDC-A and they are in sixes and sevens.

Zanu PF has set dogs on MDC-A in their backyard.

Even if as lame as it is, the MDC-A leader’s spokesperson, Dr Nkululeko Sibanda has come out alleging that Zanu PF rigged the by-elections whilst their leadership was busy with other duties; no one believes that rhetoric of rigging anymore.

Even MDC-A loyalists were quick to dismiss the rigging allegation accusing MDC-A for being disconnected with the people of Bulawayo.

MDC-A got a rude awakening Machiavellian knock-out punch. 

Embracing the Machiavellian principle, a person considers their goals to be of prime importance and that any method may be used to achieve them. Likewise, Zanu PF unleashed their Machiavellianism in Bulawayo when the dissolved every structure in the metropolitan.

The opposition spent their precious time celebrating that, little did they know that they were falling for a deceptive tactic which would guarantee a Zanu PF win in a local council seat which they had last won in the year 2000.

Coupled by internal rife and looming elective congress, MDC was clouded to pick the new strategy employed by Zanu PF.

 A high powered delegation was deployed by Zanu PF to campaign for its candidate Cde Kidwell Mujuru for the Ward 28 council seat in Cowdray Park. The delegation was led by the party’s second secretary Vice President Kembo Mohadi accompanied by the party’s Secretary General, Dr Obert Mpofu.

It was unheard of, to have a high powered delegation going to a single ward to campaign for their candidate when the odds were against them. But it paid off! Wherever the delegation is, they are proud of their surprise tact.

MDC-A in their wisdom or lack of it fielded two candidates, Ms Mloyi who got 1 229 while her colleague Mr Collet Ndlovu garnered only 221 votes. Put together, the MDC-A number could not match Mujuru’s 1 899 votes.

Zanu-PF got 449 more votes than the two MDC Alliance candidates’ combined.

The election had 18 candidates vying for the ward seat, which fell vacant following the death of MDC Alliance councillor Hapson Nyasha Ncube.

Cde Mujuru becomes the only Zanu-PF councillor out of 29 councillors in an MDC-Alliance dominated Bulawayo City Council.