Tinotenda Hove- Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, has defended ZANU PF’s leadership, insisting that the ruling party remains focused on improving citizens’ lives through people-centred development programmes despite Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic hardships.

Speaking at a victory celebration in Masvingo Urban’s Ward 7 on Sunday – following the recent by-election, Chadzamira told supporters that government projects are designed to uplift communities.

“You should benefit from government programmes; the government is committed to assisting every Zimbabwean. I’m happy that you have done the right thing, which is voting for the ruling ZANU PF party. You have led by example as a ward, and surely everything that you were promised during the campaign period will be fulfilled because ZANU PF is a people-centred party,” Chadzamira said.

Residents of Rujeko suburb, where the by-election took place, praised the ruling party for addressing some of their needs. One community member noted: “We had water challenges in our area, but under the new dispensation, we saw boreholes being sunk, and now we have access to portable water. ZANU PF is a party that fulfils its promises. We now have good roads, we now have boreholes, and schools are being built. As the elderly, we are also benefiting from the ruling party’s empowerment programmes, which are changing our lives.”

Another added: “We get seed from the government, fertilisers and many other things. We have seen several developmental projects being rolled out in our area, which include the construction of clinics and schools. This shows that the ruling party-led government has the people at heart.”

Ward 7 Councillor Simbarashe Shonhiwa also thanked voters for backing ZANU PF, saying the community had already seen progress. “We want to thank the electorate for voting for the ruling ZANU PF party, but most of all, we want to thank the President for all the developmental projects taking place here that include the roadworks. We had no roads. We appealed for boreholes and now we have solar-powered boreholes that were sunk under the Presidential Borehole Sinking Programme, and we are grateful,” he said.

ZANU PF Masvingo Provincial Vice Chairperson, Trust Mugabe, reinforced the party’s message, urging citizens to link development with loyalty to the ruling party. “We want to thank you for voting for the ruling party. Voting for ZANU PF means voting for development. We are all seeing what the President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, is doing in the country – the life-changing developmental projects which are people-centred. That is why voting for the ruling ZANU PF is voting for success and development,” he said.

The Masvingo Urban Ward 7 by-election was held on September 13, following the death of former councillor Tafara Masimba.