Tinotenda Hove- Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Bulawayo provincial chairperson Tendai Lubu Masotsha has officially joined ZANU PF, stating that she has left opposition politics because the country’s development requires a new direction.

The former outspoken critic of the ruling party, who was previously active in the MDC, MDC Alliance and later the CCC, was formally received into ZANU PF yesterday at the party headquarters in Harare.

Explaining her move, she described it as deliberate and driven by patriotism, pointing to the progress she says is being witnessed across Zimbabwe under President Mnangagwa.

“Today, I stand before you to say I have quitted opposition politics,” said Masotsha.

“I have made a conscious, patriotic decision to cross over from the opposition to the ruling party, ZANU PF, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.”

Masotsha said she grew disillusioned with the opposition’s repeated pledges of change that never translated into real benefits for supporters.

She said opposition leaders kept assuring citizens that transformation was just around the corner, yet years went by without any meaningful outcome.

“We promised change was coming tomorrow, next year, in the next election — change, change, change, change,” she said.

“Yet deep down, we knew nothing was coming anytime soon.”

She added that what hurt her most was that some supporters passed away while still waiting for that promised change.

“What pains me most is that some of the people we made those promises to have died while waiting. They died suffering, holding on to our empty promises,” she said.

According to Masotsha, she started reflecting on whether opposing the government for the sake of it was helping ordinary people.

“I began to ask myself: are we not becoming victims of the continued suffering of our own people by opposing for the sake of opposing?” she said.

She said she now wants to contribute to development by working from within the system where decisions are made.

“I can carry the voice of the voiceless from inside, where development is planned and mandated,” she said.

“I want to save my province, Bulawayo. I want to save my region.”

Masotsha said she will not be a quiet member but will actively work to connect those still in the opposition with centres of power.

“I’m not joining ZANU-PF as a silent member. I’m joining to work, to build, to be a bridge for all those who believe in me, in the opposition, to bring their concerns to where solutions are made,” she said.

“Zimbabwe needs builders now, not just critics.”

She was welcomed by ZANU PF Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha and members of the Women’s League led by its Secretary for Finance, Tsitsi Mugabe.

Machacha said the ruling party is on a drive to grow its membership, especially in urban areas, with a goal of recruiting at least one new member per existing member annually.

“We are targeting to mobilise at least six million members by the time we go for the next elections,” Machacha said.