ON MARCH 26, Zimbabwe will hold parliamentary and council by-elections. The contest will mainly centre on the ruling Zanu PF party and the Citizens Coalition for Change candidates.
In Harare, there is Arthur Mashevedze, pictured, an independent ward 16 Harare council candidate, who argues that politics is not about parties, but service delivery.
He has no financial muscle, but believes in team work. Below is an interview he had with the Daily News on Sunday Staff Writer Rumbidzayi Ngwenya.
Q: Who is Mashevedze and your agenda for ward 16?
A: I believe charity begins at home. I have lived in ward 16 for 38 years and I consider it home.
The degree of deterioration in service delivery in my ward has caught my eye to the point that for this to be voiced through others, the mess would not be clearly outlined, paid attention to and corrected efficiently.
Q: What are the real issues in ward 16 and what are you doing about it?
A: This answer might seem like a cliché! So, I will not amuse you with the daily garbage collection, water reticulation, water supply, street lights and roads situation answer.
The main problem is the absence of a councillor who brings in a system of checks and balances, a councillor with a drive to pressurise the men and women above to supply the spanner with the bolt.
Without the bolt, the spanner’s ability is disabled.
My success will be placed on its pedestal by my ability to push for results, look for investors and implement efficiently for the benefit of the community we have set our roots in ward 16.
Q: Your competitors from Citizens Coalition for Change and Zanu PF are formidable?
A: I am not in a competition. I am not running a race. I am standing for the people. I will ignore those who are driving for the spot, for they are focused on their drive.
I have noticed that we waste resources and time trying to dig into the chances of winning. The vote is the people’s choice.
I am focused on my drive for community development as I have alluded before. Political parties have narrow parochial thinkings. I am for the community, nothing less, nothing more.
Q: What about vote buying?
A: Campaigning has become a cliché these days. It’s either you buy people a drink or you give them rice or a supposed service. I would like to term my efforts as service initiation.
This has been difficult because it has been a whole process of reprogramming the minds of the civilians.
The main obstacle thus becomes the inability to accept a new concept of bringing in betterment from a unified drive. But let me tell you something, together we can!