Tinotenda Hove – Zanu PF on Friday held a final rally in Epworth North, Ward 6, ahead of Saturday’s by-election — but critics say the event was more about empty promises than real change.

Thousands of supporters were bussed in for what the ruling party called a “star rally,” as it pushed for votes for its candidate, Civilised Bushe. The party claims 8,000 voters have been mobilised, but questions remain about whether genuine enthusiasm or coercion is driving turnout.

Zanu PF Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha insisted the crowd size was proof of the party’s popularity. “I am confident that the numbers we are witnessing here will translate into our votes,” he said. “I urge you to come out in your numbers and ensure a resounding victory for the party.”

But residents say they’ve heard this before — grand speeches, vague promises, and little follow-through. While Machacha boasted about “game-changing initiatives” such as drilling 15 solar-powered boreholes and fixing roads, many locals argue that basic services in Epworth remain in a dire state.

“They say they’ve rehabilitated roads, but we’re still walking through potholes and mud,” said a local vendor, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They come only when they want votes.”

The ruling party also claimed to have installed Starlink internet and handed out laptops to schools like Kubatana and Chinamano. But critics see this as last-minute vote bait rather than sustainable development. “What good is a laptop when our children learn in overcrowded, under-resourced classrooms?” asked another frustrated parent.

Machacha attempted to reassure residents that the long-promised regularisation of Epworth — legal recognition of informal settlements — is still in progress. “President Mnangagwa is committed to changing the livelihoods of the people under the mantra ‘leaving no one and no place behind’. We want to transform Epworth into a modern settlement,” he said.

Yet, after decades of broken promises, many remain skeptical. “They’ve been talking about regularisation since Mugabe’s time. It’s the same song every election,” one Epworth youth told this reporter.

Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa also took to the stage, urging party loyalists to vote in numbers. But critics argue that Zanu PF continues to focus on rallies and slogans rather than meaningful solutions for Zimbabwe’s struggling communities.

As Epworth heads to the polls, the real question remains: will residents vote for change, or be swayed once again by the ruling party’s campaign machinery and unfulfilled pledges?