After losing hope of reclaiming his Harare East constituency seat, former Finance minister Terrence Mukupe is reportedly plotting a major political comeback to contest the Hurungwe North parliamentary post in the 2023 elections on a Zanu PF ticket.
In 2018, Mukupe lost the Harare East seat to former Finance Minister Tendai Biti of the MDC Alliance.
However, the controversial politician now intends to resurrect his political fortunes by wrestling the rural outpost of Hurungwe North where the electorate is apparently sympathetic and pliant to Zanu PF machinations.
The constituency is currently held by Ability Gandawa (Zanu PF), a maverick and youthful politician.
In order to fulfill his political aspirations, the former Deputy Finance Minister recently successfully lodged an application with Zanu PF seeking transfer from Harare to Mashonaland West.
In a communication leaked to NewZimbabwe.com this week, Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson Goodwills Masimirembwa made glossy recommendations to Mashonaland West administration secretary Simbarashe Ziyambi before requesting a ‘soft landing’ for the volatile politician.
Wrote Masimirembwa; “Zanu PF Harare province is hereby recommending Cde Terrence Mukupe who has applied to transfer to Mashonaland West. Cde Mukupe is a former provincial member who held the position of secretary for information and publicity from 2017 to 2019.
“In 2015, he was elected Member of Parliament for Harare East constituency and was appointed Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Development under the new dispensation.”
Contacted for comment Thursday over his latest decision to cross to Mashonaland West, deemed a political hotbed, Mukupe confirmed the move.
“It’s normal within Zanu PF to change constituencies, President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa moved from Kwekwe to his home area of Chirumanzu-Zibagwe. He is someone l emulate and I have moved for the same reasons he moved,” Mukupe told NewZimbabwe.com.
In 2018, Mukupe who has strong links to Mnangagwa, won the Zanu PF primaries and contested for Harare East but lost to Biti.
He is the Zanu PF shadow MP for the constituency that he has decided to dump.
If his application is approved, Mukupe will become a member of Zanu PF Cell 24 under the Rukuwu branch of Nyamakate district under the Zanu PF Hurungwe administrative district, Masimirembwa said.
-Newzimbabwe.com