Bulawayo residents yesterday expressed shock over President Robert Mugabe’s remarks that they should demand service from the MDC-T because they voted for the party during the July 31 elections.
Blondie Ndebele
Mugabe, speaking at the burial of National Railways of Zimbabwe general manager Mike Karakadzai at the Heroes’ Acre on Sunday, insinuated that residents of Bulawayo and Harare must not look up to his government for service delivery.
But city residents told Southern Eye the Zanu PF leader should know that he is President for everyone regardless of their political affiliations after being sworn under oath last Thursday to serve every Zimbabwean.
Residents said the 89-year-old leader instead of being bitter about the way people voted, must apologising for his party’s failure to develop the city for the 33 years it has been in power.
Mthulisi Moyo from Pelandaba suburb said the city was victimised long back as the government continued to delay projects meant to alleviate poverty.
“We have been doing our own things for the past 33 years,” he said. “He has never brought any meaningful development in this city except to make companies either to relocate or close down.”
Mbonisi Sibanda of Magwegwe North said Bulawayo residents know Mugabe’s presidency caused a lot of people untold suffering.
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“How did he expect us to vote for him when he made us suffer for years?” he said.
“My father was killed during Gukurahundi and I am an orphan because of him. “We should be the ones revenging because he has made us suffer under his unbearable rule.”
Some of the residents said Mugabe should accept the reality that Zanu PF would never win Bulawayo because people wanted change. Tapiwa Machingaidze of Mahatshula said people no longer cared about Mugabe’s threats because they always had a way of surviving even in difficult circumstances.
“We are waiting for his revenge to begin so that we will also find ways to adapt and move forward with our lives,” he said.
