An employee of a borehole which was constructed by Scott Sakupwanya, expressed her appreciation for him. She said, “Scott is a gift from God he has transformed Mabvuku especially in areas where the Harare City Council has failed
HARARE businessman and Zanu PF parliamentary candidate for the 2023 general elections in Mabvuku Tafara,Pedzai Scott Sakupwanya, is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to win the constituency.
Against all odds, he beat a Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate in the local council by-elections last year, and is a lone Zanu PF figure in the otherwise opposition-filled Harare City Council.
Sakupwanya has set up at least three offices with full-time staff to push through projects and assist the people of his constituency. He is paying school fees for nearly 10 000 primary and secondary children and has repaired roads, provided food hampers for the widowed and elderly, taken care of orphans, drilled dozens of boreholes for the community, purchased wheelchairs for the disabled, funded projects, and bought refuse collection trucks for the community.
60-year-old Patricia Mudonhi, who is employed as a borehole operator, praised Sakupwanya saying: “Scott is a gift from God, he has transformed Mabvuku. Now we have clean water that is close to the people. What more can you ask for? The good thing about him is that he doesn’t discriminate. Everyone is free to use these boreholes, God bless him.”
Mai Makaya described Sakupwanya as a “life-saver”, saying he gets food hampers on a regular basis. She noted, “At my age, where would I get money to buy food for myself and my grandchildren? No one will starve in Mabvuku as long as Scott is there”.
Sakupwanya is also involved in patching Mabvuku Drive-Tafara way, constructing and patching potholes on Donnyboke Drive, the complete reconstruction of 22 kilometres of Sinini Street, and other projects. His six refuse collection trucks and his own employees have now replaced Harare City Council’s services in MabvukuTafara.
Sakupwanya has said: “This is an area of poor people, we all grew up poor. I understand their needs and when my life improved, I decided to make it my passion to give back to the community I grew in. It’s not about being a Zanu PF candidate, but just the passion to help others. If you look at the boreholes, roads and fees we are paying, the beneficiaries are from all political parties. I want the kids here to have equal opportunities just like those from well-off families.” He also runs programmes on drug awareness and employs hundreds of young people.
For now it appears that Sakupwanya has a good chance of winning the seat in the upcoming elections, given his popularity in the area and the odds he has defied in the past. Whatever the outcome it is evident his work will remain in the community long after the 2023 general elections.
