Residents of Cowdray Park constituency in Bulawayo have expressed mixed feelings over outgoing Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s electoral defeat despite investing heavily in the area.
Ncube lost to opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Pashor Sibanda in elections held on Wednesday.
Ncube camped in Cowdray Park after he was announced as the Zanu PF candidate.
He embarked on a number of development projects that have made an impact in the constituency such as rehabilitating roads, electrifying some parts of the suburb and improving other social amenities.
Some areas of the constituency had gone for several years without being connected to the national grid while roads remained neglected as seen in commuter omnibus operators shunning the area.
At one time, Ncube clashed with the Bulawayo City Council for rehabilitating roads in the constituency without first consulting the city’s engineers.
He also ensured the provision of Wi-Fi services as he rolled other projects including drilling boreholes.
Despite odds staked against his CCC opponent who faced resource constraints to mount an effective campaign, Ncube lost the constituency.
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In separate interviews, residents praised Ncube for his development projects but said he was wearing a ‘wrong political jacket’.
"According to me he was beaten fair and square. Yes he did a lot for us but at the end of day a better party, the opposition, that appeals to the people here won,” said Michael Nkomo.
“However, the incoming MP has big shoes to fill because we expect to see him continuing from where Ncube left.”
The late Pelandaba-Mpopoma Zanu PF MP Sikhanyiso Ndlovu was at one point told to join the MDC T if he entertained any hope of being re-elected despite the several developmental projects.
Despite several development projects, Ndlovu kept losing to the opposition. Former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube, was also in the same situation and kept losing the Makokoba constituency despite his many development projects in the area.
Another resident Sipho Sibanda, said he was still in shock with Ncube’s electoral defeat.
"He helped us immensely by fixing roads and drilling boreholes,” Sibanda said.
“The people should have done better and ensured that he got elected into office.
“Now, who is going to fix our water and electricity woes?
“I hope that the incoming MP will address these issues, because that is what we expect from him.
“We want electricity, we want water, he should deliver all these things.”
The constituency could be easily mistaken for a peri-urban location without social amenities.
Another resident Etmas Mthombeni, however, accused Ncube of vote-buying and not being genuine.
"We are grateful that he developed this place, but there is no guarantee that he was going to continue doing the same once elected into office,” Mthombeni said.
“It was a vote-buying gimmick.”
However, Tafadzwa Chirisa begged Ncube not to turn his back on the constituency.
“We know he lost, but we still need him, and we hope that he won’t turn his back on us now,” Chirisa said.
