By Bulawayo Correspondent
FORMER Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president Vincent Pamire has hit out at Bulawayo residents for backing the opposition in the just-ended elections, scorning some of the winning candidates for being homeless.
He was speaking last Friday at the memorial service for the late former Minister of State for Matabeleland North province Thokozile Mathuthu.
Pamire, who was representing Mathuthu’s maiden family, shocked mourners when he started insulting Bulawayo residents for backing MDC Alliance candidates in the city during the just ended elections.
The opposition coalition won all the 29 council seats in the province. Zanu PF only won one seat.
“People of Bulawayo you no longer cherish the legacy of my sister here, Thokozile,” said Pamire.
“During the just ended elections, you voted for useless MDC Alliance councillors who do not own houses. You voted councillors who are lodgers,”
“The first thing those councillors want to do when they are in council is to have a house. I am not a politician, but I am very disappointed about what you did,” said Pamire amid wild clapping from the predominately Zanu PF crowd.
Home affairs minister and Zanu PF secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu concurred with Pamire, adding; “When Pamire started his speech, he said he is not a politician, but I agree with what he said.”
Mpofu, who was representing the government, said Mathuthu deserved the national heroine status.
“I am here as the Zanu PF secretary general,” said the minister.
“This is not an inferior post. It is a very big post. Mathuthu was not declared a national heroine by anybody, not even the politburo but her deeds declared her.
“Every development in Matebeleland North has got her footsteps.”
The memorial service was also attended by the minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan province Angeline Masuku, Zanu PF politburo member Absolom Sikhosana and Omega Hungwe, the party’s deputy national secretary for the commissariat.
Mathuthu, who succumbed to cancer, was born in 1957 in Esigodini, Matebeleland South.
She was buried at the National heroes’ acre on Sunday.
