BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade deputy minister David Musabayana’s days as Wedza North MP (Zanu PF) could be numbered.
His flirtation as MP is under serious threat ahead of the 2023 general elections as several challengers, who include Harare lawyer and businessman Itai Ndudzo, are reportedly vowing to oust him amid reports that he has failed the constituency for the past seven years he has been in charge.
Musabayana took the seat in 2015 via a by-election after it fell vacant following the death of Simon Musanhu.
But his tenure has been blighted by several accusations by the people who voted him, who alleged that he has never reported to the community ever since was elected.
He is also accused of failing to use the constituency development fund to implement developmental projects in the area, something that has seen the community up in arms with him.
Some even charge that Musabayana imposed himself in the area and was not a member of the Wedza community.
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The deputy minister, an economist by profession, is said to have provided chickens for meat towards the recent Independence Day celebrations in the constituency, while his rivals provided cattle which were slaughtered, with Ndudzo reportedly offering 17 cattle.
Repeated efforts to contact Musabayana were unsuccessful yesterday.
Other prospective candidates include Casper Chigwedere, the son of the late former Mashonaland East governor, historian and educationist Aeneas Chigwedere.
Antony Parewa, who has been fighting Musabayana over control of the constituency over the past seven years without success, is also reportedly angling for the seat.
Contacted for comment, Ndudzo, who hails from Hwedza’s Ndudzo village in Mubaiwa ward, could not deny nor confirm that he was eyeing the Wedza North constituency.
“First of all, I was born and bred in Wedza. I am also the Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs in Wedza district and if I want to contest, I will win resoundingly. As a son of the community, I have several developmental projects I am implementing in the area,” he said.
“When I do something in Wedza, like providing the cattle that you talk of, I do so because it is my home and I have an obligation to contribute to the development of my area. I have properties in Wedza.”
Ndudzo, who is the managing partner of Clairwood Chambers law firm, sits on several boards.
He is the board chairperson of Doves Funeral Services, chairperson of Allied Timbers Zimbabwe as well as chairperson of the board of trustees at Waddilove School.
He started his political career as the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union founding secretary for information.
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