Tensions flared at the Meet Your Candidates town hall debate in Nkulumane on Wednesday when a female attendee confronted Zanu PF’s parliamentary candidate, Freedom Murechu, demanding to know how he intended to “save the constitution” amid a plan by the ruling party to extend the presidential term to 2030 and possibly postpone the 2028 elections.
Zanu-PF Ward 1 councillor, Josiah Mutangi, who was convicted of 13 counts of fraud for duping vendors of their money, has been ordered to perform 490 hours of community service at Bulawayo Central Police Station, and to restitute the victims their money by February 27, 2026.
Candidates vying for the Nkulumane parliamentary seat laid bare the fundamental fault in Zimbabwe’s urban politics after the Zanu PF candidate argued he is best positioned to deliver development, insisting only someone aligned to the ruling party can unlock progress, which independent contenders swiftly dismissed as a flawed narrative that overlooks the systemic centralisation designed to weaken opposition-led councils.
A‘bussed’ crowd repeatedly disrupted Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Mothusi “Madlela” Ndlovu during the Meet Your Candidates debate in Nkulumane on Wednesday, throwing him off balance and derailing his presentation as he attempted to outline his leadership credentials.
The campaign to fill the Nkulumane parliamentary seat exposed differences in how candidates and electorate interpret the constitutional mandate of a Member of Parliament (MP), with some demonstrating clear understanding of oversight responsibilities while others offered vague or partisan-leaning responses during a lively town hall debate.
