INDEPENDENCE Day provincial celebrations for Mashonaland West scheduled for Chikangwe Stadium in Karoi were this Tuesday marred by low attendance amid concerns the Provincial Affairs Minister's Office had failed dismally to mobilise citizens.
Buses, mostly belonging to schools, commandeered to ferry people from the province's seven districts to the venue ran empty, with only a few passengers on board.
In Chinhoyi, two 75-seater buses from Nemakonde High and Chinhoyi Primary schools were spotted by NewZimbabwe.com leaving the pick-up point at Seven Heroes Government Complex with less than 20 passengers apiece enroute to Karoi.
At the venue, Chikangwe Stadium, more than 15 buses, including ZUPCOs, which had come from different districts, including Sanyati, Kariba and Mhondoro, could also be seen arriving with only a handful passengers.
The lack lustre event presided over by Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka was largely snubbed by top Zanu PF politicians, who usually flock to pledge their loyalty to local leadership at such functions.
Prominent politicians from the province did not pitch up for the Karoi fiesta, with reports winning candidates from recent Zanu PF primaries didn't see value in associating with the convener, a losing parliamentarian on her way out.
Although she remains Zanu PF provincial chairman, the only woman in that position countrywide, Mliswa-Chikoka now banks on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's benevolence to appoint her non-constituency MP after the 2023 harmonised elections expected between July and August.
Observers who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com opined Mliswa-Chikoka had failed to mobilise citizens, including Zanu PF supporters, due to her waning popularity among the electorate.
Her recent defeat to a "nonentity" Chinjai Kambuzuma in Zanu PF Hurungwe West primary elections to choose a candidate to represent the party in harmonised polls had dealt her political standing a huge blow, analysts said.
"She was a rising political star, but she lost the plot along the way and all of a sudden that light has diminished.
"Mliswa-Chikoka as provincial minister and convener was responsible for mobilising people and resources for Independence Day celebrations which failed to live up to their billing, despite all the noise on local radio station, Platinum FM," said political analyst, Innocent Chikanya.
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"She let power go to her head so much she was unapproachable and heeded no advice. Also, she made a lot of enemies as she allowed her brother, independent legislator Temba Mliswa, to interfere in internal party matters. At the end of the day, people didn't see her as her own person."
A Zanu PF source told NewZimbabwe.com, Mliswa-Chikoka had lost political clout following her recent electoral defeat and could no longer muster the courage to speak authoritatively to reprimand errant party members shunning national events such as Independence Day.
"She no longer has the wherewithal or political spine to charge at Zanu PF members, especially Central Committee and MPs, because her constituency power base has been swept away," said the source.
"If she failed to mobilise supporters to retain her Hurungwe West seat, what assurances can she give President Mnangagwa that he will win resoundingly in the province? That's food for thought, but honestly the party needs a new chairman capable of mobilising people."
Meanwhile, attendees at the Karoi event were treated to military displays by members of the security sector, who included Zimbabwe National Army, airforce, police and prisons.
Later in the day, the audience was entertained by a football match between top flight ZPC Kariba and Division One outfit Karoi United.
