The constituency, formed in 2008, was delimited in such a way that it covers scattered farms occupied by resettled villagers.
To the South it reaches Chaka; on the East the border is at Chalseworth in Gutu-West; North-East borders Chivhu town while the South West demarcation cuts off in Shurugwi.
It is the only rural constituency in the country with two Rural District Councils – Chirumanzu and Zibagwe.
In interviews carried by The Zimbabwean in the vast constituency over the weekend, villagers said they had been shaken by the intimidation campaign and were likely to vote against their will for fear of losing their pieces of land.
“The farms are our only source of livelihood. The majority of us came here thinking the resettlement exercise was an apolitical government programme, but we are now being told it was a Zanu (PF) project. Our hearts lie with MDC-T but fear of losing our farms if we do not vote for Zanu (PF) is shaking us,” said one villager at Lalapansi shopping centre.
“The Zanu (PF) activists come to our homes on a door to door campaign and instil fear in us through the Vhotera Musha programme. Somebody out there should come and protect us,” said another villager.
The MDC-T candidate for the area confirmed the exercise and singled out a Retired Major Ndlamini as the one behind it.
“We go back again to the MDC-T’s call for observers from the international community prior to the elections and at least three months afterwards so that the people’s vote is protected. In the meantime, we are going into the communities telling the people that the Zanu (PF) intimidation campaign should not stop them from choosing leaders at their hearts. “No one should be victimised after the elections,” he said.
Post published in: News