Zanu (PF) takes campaign to patients

Services at Driefontein Muonde referral hospital in Chirumhanzu-Zivagwe district yesterday ground to a halt after Zanu (PF) activists held a rally at the health institution, campaigning for Zanu (PF) heavyweight, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The hospital, with a capacity to admit close to 200 patients, is a referral centre for patients from most parts of Midlands such as Chirumhanzu, Matibi, Masvingo, Shurugwi and Triangle.

It has a nursing school for close to 100 students.

An official at the institution who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mnangagwa’s campaign manager from Kwekwe identified as Jabulani Munyaradzi Maburutse addressed hospital staff and villagers from surrounding areas for over two hours at the hospital premises.

Patients left the wards and were frog marched to the rally where Maburutse revealed that his boss was the best candidate to assume the presidency after President Robert Mugabe.

Maburutse said: “You should be proud of our Mnangagwa. Mugabe does not do anything without consulting him because he holds the keys to the security of this country.

“Don’t you want development for Chirumanzu just like what has been done to Zvimba?” he asked.

Maburutse pleaded with staff, patients and villagers present at the rally not to repeat what they did in 2008.

“You voted for the wrong people in 2008 and we are aware that we only managed to get two votes from Drifontein Muonde polling station,” said Maburutse.

Contacted for comment, Maburutse threatened this reporter and referred all questions to one Gabriel Chaibva.

He said: “If you publish what I have not said I will deal with you, do you understand?”

Chaibva told The Zimbabwean that he was not aware that the activists had held a rally at the hospital.

“It was just a walk about campaign and I do not see anything wrong with that.

“As part of the party’s strategy, we sought permission from the authorities to meet nursing staff and patients. It is allowed to take our campaign to patients and talk to them to vote for our candidates,” he said.

He dismissed claims that nursing staff and patients were forced to attend the rally.

“There is no indication that a rally was held and I am sure that people were not coerced to attend that meeting. It was out of consent,” he said.

Zanu (PF) spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, accused supporters from opposition parties of blowing things out of proportion.

“Sometimes Zanu (PF) is a victim of propaganda. As a party, we do not encourage the disruption of essential service providers. The opposition has a tendency of misrepresenting facts to tarnish the party’s image,” said Gumbo.

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