Jonathan Moyo: Khupe Shouldn't Contest Against Mthuli Ncube For Cowdray Park
Professor Jonathan Moyo, Zimbabwe’s former Information Minister, has advised former Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Thokozani Khupe not to contest against Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube for the Cowdray Park parliamentary constituency seat in Bulawayo during the 23 August 2023 general election.
Moyo argued that Ncube is the best possible candidate for Cowdray Park and the region. He argued that if the elections are about deploying the most able and best-positioned candidate with the self-evident capacity to get things done for the community, Ncube deserves the support of everyone in Cowdray Park and the region, including and particularly from Dr. Khupe.
Moyo acknowledged that his statement was not an indictment of Dr. Khupe but an acknowledgement of the objective reality on the ground in Cowdray Park and the region. He argued that Khupe has not been able to do anything differently or better for the constituency or the region since she first went to parliament in 2000. On the other hand, Moyo claimed that Ncube has everything to offer from which the community and the region have a lot to benefit. He said:
All things considered, and without taking anything from or casting any aspersions on her, Dr Khupe who indeed is very much adored in the region, will be well advised not to take a dive into this one.
This is because Prof Mthuli Ncube is the best possible candidate for Cowdray Park and the region.
If truth be told, and if elections are about having communities deploy their most able and best positioned or placed sons or daughters with self-evident capacity to get things done for the community, then it is manifestly clear that Prof Ncube deserves the support from everyone not only in Cowdray Park but also across the region, including and particularly from Dr Khupe.
It is not an indictment of Dr Khupe but an acknowledgement of the objective reality on the ground in Cowdray Park and the region that there is really hardly much that she would be able to do differently or better now for either the constituency or the region which she has not been able to do since 2000, when she first went to Parliament.
If Dr Khupe returned to Parliament in August 2023, she would merely add to the dwindling minority numbers of the opposition benches. That would perhaps mean something to her personally, as it has meant since 2000, but it will not mean anything to or for Cowdray Park, let alone the region.
On the other hand, Prof Ncube has nothing much if anything to gain personally, but he has everything to offer from which the community and the region have a lot to benefit.
This is an objective fact. It’s praxis, and that’s what real politics is all about: the community using what it has [Prof Ncube] to get what it needs [development] and regular high level attention as might be necessary from time to time over the next five years.
But of course Dr Khupe has a constitutional right to stand for the parliamentary election in Cowdray Park or anywhere else for that matter. Howevet, if she stands in Cowdray Park, she should not be surprised to see many who have supported her in her trials and tribulations in the past, and who have tremendous respect for her, do the right thing to support Prof Ncube this time round.
This is because in this case, and on this occasion, support for Prof Ncube is support for everyone in Cowdray Park, the region and the nation, given the truism that the best national politics is local!
Mthuli Ncube has been confirmed as the ZANU PF candidate for the Cowdray Park constituency. He emerged as the uncontested candidate in the party primaries. Thokozani Khupe will be representing the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa.
Some Context:
Matabeleland in Zimbabwe feels it has been neglected by the government in terms of development and infrastructure projects, resulting in poor living conditions for its residents. The region has inadequate road networks, limited access to clean water, poor health facilities, unreliable electricity supply, and inadequate schools.
The region’s history of political tensions with the ruling party and being predominantly inhabited by the Ndebele ethnic group may have contributed to its neglect. Efforts by civil society organizations and community leaders to address this issue have been made, but the situation remains a challenge for many residents.
According to Moyo’s reasoning, a person of Mthuli Ncube’s status as Minister of Finance may have a better chance of changing the trajectory of development in Matabeleland compared to a mere Member of Parliament if Thokozani Khupe were to win.
