By A Correspondent- The forthcoming Glen View South by-election set for September 7 will be a litmus test for Zanu-PF leader, President Emerson Mnangagwa, whose government is grappling to contain several challenges, including high unemployment, rolling power cuts, closure of industries and high cost of living, MDC Harare provincial chairperson Wellington Chikombo has said.

The seat fell vacant in June following the death Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a road traffic accident on a stretch of road just outside Kwekwe going to Kadoma.

The MDC party has selected the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son, Vincent, to fill the vacant post left by his sister. He will face Zanu-PF candidate Orphard Muchuwe and a host of other candidates.

In a bid to garner more votes, the MDC party has also recalled veteran politician, Grandmore Hakata, who stood as an independent candidate during the July 31, 2018 general elections to help campaign for the party.

Yesterday, Chikombo told a local publication that Hakata’s inclusion into the equation would spell doom for the Zanu-PF party given that he previously amassed more than 3 000 votes last year.

“In the previous election, Grandmore Hakata got over 3 000 votes as an independent. In my capacity as the chairperson of Harare, I said to him, ‘please come home’ and he came home. As I speak right now, I am with him and we are doing door-to-door campaigns canvassing support for Vincent so that we win resoundingly on September 7, 2019,” Chikombo said.

“With Hakata in the camp, all cylinders are operating at full throttle. Victory is certain for the MDC and, in fact, Glen View is going to stand as a litmus test for Mnangagwa’s government. We have a high unemployment rate in the country.

The industrial utilisation capacity is very low, we have power shortages in the country, and industry is closing down on a daily basis. So the people of Zimbabwe are going to send a message to the government of Mnangagwa through Glen View. The people’s mood politically will be determined through Glen View.”

Contacted for comment, Hakata confirmed the developments, but declined to shed more light, preferring to direct all questions to the party.

“I can only confirm to you that my blood flows with MDC and it is going to work with my party and we look forward to winning this election,” he said.

Asked about his future plans in MDC politics, Hakata simply responded: “We will cross the bridge when we get to the river.”