Nkulumane Rally Sees Sharp Criticism of Opposition Record Ahead of By-Election

ZANU-PF leaders criticised the opposition’s development record at a Nkulumane rally ahead of the by-election (image source)

BULAWAYO — Aspiring ZANU-PF Central Committee member Paul Tungwarara on Wednesday delivered a pointed critique of opposition legislators, accusing those who have represented Nkulumane in Parliament of failing to deliver meaningful development despite decades of control in urban constituencies. His remarks came at a campaign rally in Nkulumane as ZANU-PF intensified its push ahead of Saturday’s by-election.

Addressing party supporters and local residents, Tungwarara argued that more than 20 years of opposition representation in Bulawayo and other cities had yielded little improvement in infrastructure or basic services. He cited persistent challenges such as deteriorating roads, unreliable sanitation and poor waste management as evidence of what he described as a poor development record. Tungwarara urged voters to give ZANU-PF an opportunity to address urban challenges, saying the party—long associated with rural development—was now ready to prioritise city-specific needs.

The message was reinforced by ZANU-PF National Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, who highlighted service delivery shortfalls that he attributed to opposition leadership. Machacha pointed to unresolved sewer reticulation problems and erratic refuse collection as examples of failures affecting residents’ quality of life. He told the gathering that a ZANU-PF mandate would allow the party to mobilise resources and implement practical interventions aimed at restoring essential services.

Residents attending the rally expressed a mix of frustration and cautious optimism. Some said they were weary of repeated promises and wanted immediate, visible improvements in sanitation, road maintenance and waste removal. Others indicated openness to political change, provided it translated into sustained service delivery rather than short-term projects aligned with election cycles.

Opposition figures have previously defended their performance by citing limited fiscal space, centralised budgetary controls and administrative bottlenecks that restrict constituency-level interventions. They argue that many urban service challenges require coordinated action across municipal, provincial and national institutions, and that political control alone does not guarantee rapid solutions.

Analysts say the Nkulumane by-election will be closely watched as a test of urban voter sentiment and a gauge of whether service delivery concerns outweigh party loyalty. In urban constituencies, by-elections often turn on tangible issues such as water supply, sanitation, refuse removal and road repairs, with candidates who present credible, actionable plans more likely to resonate with voters.