Zanu PF intensified its campaign for the Nkulumane by-election on Sunday, rolling out an extensive package of resources at a rally in Bulawayo, where residents were promised 30 tonnes of food aid, seed packs, 18 boreholes, repaired transformers, computers, WiFi kits and a US$100,000 revolving fund. The rally, held at Amavene Primary School, drew senior Zanu PF officials including Jabulani Sibanda, politburo members Elifasi Mashaba and Molly Mpofu, ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera, Youth Minister Tino Machakaire and Ward 20 Councillor Sandra Ndebele. It marked the official launch of Freedom Murechu’s campaign.
Beyond the spectacle, the event underlined the ruling party’s entrenched politics of patronage, resource distribution and campaign-season benevolence, an approach critics refer to as a “culture of eating.” A key moment was the heavily anticipated arrival of Special Presidential Investment Advisor Dr Paul Tungwarara, widely known for distributing cash and grants across the country. His image as Zanu PF’s politicalmbinga— a wealthy, well-connected benefactor — dominated expectations ahead of his entrance. Tungwarara later arrived by helicopter, a dramatic display that Zanu PF appeared keen to project, especially after announcing earlier in the day that he was travelling from Mutare.
Youth Minister Machakaire gave the clearest insight into the political logic behind the Nkulumane campaign. “We will take him (Murechu) to Parliament and tell Mnangagwa that Freedom is following us on 20 December,” he said, openly framing the by-election around access to resources and patronage. Machakaire told the crowd that many people had attended because they were “waiting for imbingas,injiva.” “Asisafuni ukuthi abantu beHarare badle bodwa, sesifuna ukuthi sidle sonke (We no longer want people in Harare to eat alone; we want everyone to eat),” he said, referring to Tungwarara metaphorically as aninjiva, a term traditionally used for returning diaspora Zimbabweans associated with wealth.
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Machakaire’s remarks signalled a frank acknowledgement of Zanu PF’s internal patronage economy. “Freedom must be a good father when it comes to distributing everything that comes from the President. Sifuna abantu bonke babenefitter, asifuni leadership idle yodwa (We want everyone to benefit; we don’t want leaders to eat alone),” he said.
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