By Staff Reporter
BINGA – Opposition O- Zapu president Mathew Sibanda spent the weekend in Matebeleland North addressing supporters in what marked his first public rallies in the area since forming his breakaway party from Zapu earlier this year.
The rallies, held at Lusulu Business Center on Saturday and Tshipale Ward on Sunday, some 50 kilometers south of Binga, drew hundreds of villagers eager to hear the party’s vision for the region.
Speaking at the Tshipale rally, Sibanda lamented the widespread underdevelopment in the area and pledged to prioritize infrastructure, healthcare, and governance reforms should his party come to power.
“Our people are suffering. There is no clean water, no medicine in clinics, no proper roads, and youth unemployment is fueling crime and prostitution,” Sibanda said.
Sibanda said a future O Zapu government will address these issues head-on.
“We will finish what others failed to start, like the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and rural road rehabilitation.”
The Lusulu rally was briefly disrupted by Zanu PF supporters allegedly led by a known party activist. Sibanda said the group attempted to intimidate O-Zapu supporters.
“They came to disrupt and threaten our peaceful gathering. It was only after police intervened that order was restored. We had already secured clearance for the meeting, but this kind of political harassment must end,” he said.
Villagers at both rallies voiced concerns over worsening living conditions. Chief among the issues were the high cost of living, poor roads, a spike in crime, and challenges in accessing basic services.
One villager, 67-year-old Lameck Munkuli from Tshipale, said their struggles are deepening by the day.
“To sell even one goat, we have to travel to Binga Center for police clearance. The process is long and expensive. But that is how we pay school fees and buy food,” said Munkuli.
Another resident who declined to be named highlighted the social impact of economic despair.
“Many girls have dropped out of school and are now involved in prostitution just to survive. We have heard of young women charging as little as $1 for two clients.”
Residents also accused traditional leaders of coercing villagers to support the ruling Zanu PF party, threatening exclusion from food aid or land allocations.
“They tell us that if we do not toe the line, we will get anything. “We are being punished for wanting change,” said 40-year-old Anna Dube.
Meanwhile, Sibanda, who is also a transport operator, criticized the ongoing police and Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) blitz targeting public service vehicles.
“I just came from negotiating with VID to release one of my trucks. It was impounded for a so-called defect they cannot even explain,” he said.
“They demand $15 per defect and $25 to release a vehicle. The system is designed to extort, not regulate.”
He added that due to poor road conditions, nearly every vehicle on Zimbabwe’s roads has some form of fault.
“How can you blame transporters for vehicle issues when the roads are like war zones? This crackdown is not about safety. It is about collecting money.”
