MDC Alliance candidate for Epworth Constituency Zivai Mhetu has attributed his poor performance in the by-elections to the party he was representing.
Mhetu got a measly 745 votes against Zalerah Makari of Zanu PF who polled 10 248 and Eathrage Kureva of Citizens Coalition for Change who had 8 283 votes.
In an interview with OpenParly, Mhetu said people in Epworth like him but do not like the political party he is affiliated with.
He, however, said he will not change his party but will try to see how he can address the concerns of the electorate.
‘’When I was campaigning the popular message that I received from the people, they were saying they really want to vote for me. I plunged US$50 000 into my campaigns but wherever I would go the people would say Mr Mhetu we like you we will vote for you but the jacket which you are putting on is what we do not like.
Electorate caught in between
‘’So, we are now caught in between either to vote for you or not because of the jacket which you are putting, but we just want to tell you the truth that if you are to change your jacket you will win Epworth because you already won our hearts.
‘’This is the major setback that I came across in Epworth. And when we campaign also is to hear what people say and not to argue with them but to respond positively.
‘’In this case, I am not saying I will change the jacket I will not of course. But I want to work on the issues they raised so we can take measures to see how best we can win in 2023,’’ he said. Mhetu is not the only MDC Alliance candidate who lost in the by-elections. The party lost all the seats in Parliament and local authority they were contesting.
