FORMER chairperson of the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), Chilumbo Mudenda, has launched a new regional political party called Assemblies of Minorities (AM).
Mudenda said the party aimed to address the unique challenges facing people of Matabeleland and parts of Midlands, marking a significant development in Zimbabwe's regional politics.
Speaking during the launch in Bulawayo recently, Mudenda said AM was different from MRP as it was mass-centred.
“As you are witnessing that we are launching a new party, I am no longer part of MRP. There are political dynamics in any organisation.
“This was a product of wide range of consultations. The difference that you are going to see from MRP is that we are mass-centred. In MRP, there was political activism and there was no political rhythm in terms of mass drive and taking the agenda to the people.”
Mudenda said it was painful that when issues of regional politics were raised they were viewed as tribal.
“Regional politics is not a tribal issue. We are reacting to issues and realities of exclusion. We are deliberately excluded in Matabeleland. Resources are being collected from our areas but none of them are being developed. We are people also, we deserve compassion.
“The government is failing to develop infrastructure within our region hence neglecting us so that we remain marginalised. It is painful that electricity is made in Kariba which is near Binga unfortunately, our schools do not have electricity so this shows the cruelty of our government,” he said.
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Mudenda said the government had centralised everything in Harare hence making the Matabeleland region suffer.
“Bulawayo was well known for being the industrial centre but the government has caused the closure of industries and most of them are relocating to Harare hence crippling the development of our region,” he said.
Mudenda said the marginalisation of the Matabeleland region had prompted them to make sure President Emmerson Mnangagwa did not have an extra term in office.
“There is no term extension that is going to happen, not under our watch. We have been patient enough with their excesses but there is always a time at some point where you say this is enough and right now as people of Matabeleland and parts of Midlands we have crossed that line,” he said.
