By Audience Mutema
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa turned up unexpected at a Harare city council event Wednesday and took over the ground-breaking formalities for the construction of a primary school.
Mayor Herbert Gomba was supposed to officiate at the Kuwadzana event but duly deferred to his party leader.
The MDC controls the country’s capital as well as most urban local authorities around the country.
Chamisa has since demanded “excellent” administration of opposition-controlled towns and cities as evidence of the possibility of a better Zimbabwe under MDC rule.
Addressing the Kuwadzana gathering, Chamisa said he had turned up to show his support for the work Gomba had his team were doing at Town House.
He also commended the presence of Zanu PF officials who attended the event.
“As a leader, one should appreciate both the good and the bad,” he quipped.
“ … building the country requires contribution of (everyone) because the party which might be underestimated might be productive in building a better nation.”
SMART SERVICE DELIVERY..Had a wonderful time to witness the consummation of the VISION to make Harare a world class SMART CITY by 2025.The Harare City Council is set to construct a SMART primary school in ward 44, Kuwadzana Extension, Harare. pic.twitter.com/LudjO8jge6
— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) December 12, 2018
However, his takeover of the ground-breaking formalities continued what appear to be a tit-for-tat public engagements with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chamisa’s Kuwadzana event comes after Mnangagwa recentlybroke the ground for a new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, just outside the capital.
Again, after the disputed July 30 elections, Chamisa launched what his party described as nation-wide rallies to thank supporters, starting at St Mary’s in Chitungwiza, after which Mnangagwa held his own ‘thank you rally’ in Zvimba.
Chamisa then launched a clean-up campaign in Budiriro with Mnangagwa, later, officiating at a similar event in Highfields.
Chamisa then held a tree planting event in Norton before Mnangagwa presided over the national tree planting day commemorations at State House.
The MDC has since styled Chamisa the ‘People’s President’, insisting he won the disputed July 30 presidential elections.
Mnangagwa was declared victor by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), with theConstitutional Court (Con-Court) also upholding the outcome.
Chamisa however, maintains that ZEC manipulated the results in favour of Mnangagwa. He also refuses to accept the Con-Court decision, saying he was prevented from presenting evidence that would prove he won the vote.
