The
debate
on
Wednesday
held
at
Nkulumane
Hall
and
organised
by
the
Centre
for
Innovation
and
Technology
(CITE)
in
collaboration
with
the
Bulawayo
Progressive
Residents
Association
(BPRA),
Election
Resource
Centre
(ERC)
and
the
Nkulumane
Constituency
Development
Committee,
drew
a
packed
and
highly
charged
audience
that
exposed
raw
tensions
and
divisive
tactics.
Ndlovu,
representing
the
CCC
now
led
by
Sengezo
Tshabangu,
struggled
to
deliver
his
points
as
a
section
of
the
crowd
heckled,
booed
and
hurled
questions
aimed
at
discrediting
him.
Tensions
escalated
when
one
attendee
loudly
demanded
to
know
where
in
Nkulumane
he
lived.
Visibly
irritated,
Madlela
said
some
in
the
audience
were
transported
to
the
hall
specifically
to
disrupt
him.
“Go
and
check
on
the
voters’
roll
where
I
stay,”
he
shot
back.
“Let
me
ask
you
as
well,
of
all
these
candidates
here,
no
one
sleeps
in
Nkulumane.
I
am
telling
you,
you
are
being
lied
to
but
I
came
here
knowing
it
would
be
like
this.
Some
of
you
were
bussed
here,
it’s
ok,
stay
there
in
your
lanes.
Let
me
tell
you
the
truth,
let’s
be
truthful
whether
you
agree
or
not,
this
is
time
for
truth,
we
are
not
stopping,
I
will
stand
for
the
truth.”
The
disruptions
also
intensified
when
Madlela
was
asked
about
his
leadership
and
public
office
experience.
“Leadership
does
not
mean
you
only
lead
in
politics…,”
he
said
but
before
he
could
complete
his
response,
hecklers
again
shouted
him
down.
“…
the
moment
I
open
my
mouth
they
disrupt”
as
he
requested
protection
from
the
master
of
ceremonies.
Madlela
insisted
he
has
a
long
record
of
leadership
outside
politics.
“Someone
who
leads
an
NGO
is
a
leader.
I
lead
in
the
arts
sector.
I
have
been
a
leader
from
the
age
of
16.
Not
knowing
someone
doesn’t
mean
they
cannot
lead,”
said
the
CCC
hopeful.
Madlela
attempted
to
steer
the
conversation
towards
issues
of
historical
injustice
and
marginalisation,
saying
many
residents
carry
unhealed
wounds.
“There
are
people
today
who
carry
pain
in
their
heart.
It
is
easy
for
us
to
be
here
making
noise
and
forget,
but
there
are
old
women
here
who
do
not
know
the
graves
of
their
children,”
he
said
amid
boos.
He
urged
Nkulumane
residents
to
give
him
a
mandate.
“Give
us
that
power
to
carry
your
tears,
carry
your
pain
and
deliver
it
to
Parliament,”
Madlela
said.
However,
each
time
he
tried
to
emphasise
his
willingness
to
confront
long-standing
issues
affecting
Matabeleland,
including
unequal
distribution
of
resources
and
poor
road
infrastructure,
he
was
again
met
with
loud
booing.
“All
of
us
here
can
agree
that
there
is
marginalisation
in
Matabeleland.
Even
on
roads,
I
drove
using
the
Zvishavane
road
going
to
Birchenough
bridge,
you
don’t
even
see
one
pothole
but
when
going
to
Tsholotsho
you
see
craters
and
craters,
including
in
Nkayi,”
he
said.
“Who
can
go
and
roar
that
in
Parliament
so
it’s
fixed?
I
am
a
courageous
man
willing
to
confront
issues
honestly.
If
you
allow
me
to
represent
you
in
Parliament,
I
will
run
with
your
grievances.”
Appealing
for
unity,
Madlela
added
that,
“politics
divides
people,
religion
divides
people,
but
our
humanity
does
not.
Knowing
who
we
are
unites
us.”
Meanwhile,
independent
candidates
were
challenged
on
how
they
would
remain
accountable
to
residents
without
the
backing
of
political
party
structures.
Independent
candidate
Mbuso
Fuzwayo
said
accountability
lies
directly
with
the
community,
that
is
people
would
make
sure
he
was
transparent.
“We
report
to
the
electorate.
We
campaign
to
people,
work
with
people.
Work
with
associations,
residents, ozibuthe,
section
leaders,
churches.
We
need
people,
we
don’t
need
political
parties,”
he
said.
Fellow
independent
candidate,
Rodney
Jele,
said
leadership
does
not
require
a
party
card,
but
clarity
of
purpose.
“You
don’t
need
a
political
party
to
lead,
you
need
a
clear
vision
and
knowing
what
people
want.
You
need
to
be
resident
here
in
Nkulumane;
I
know
residents.
I
will
hold
feedback
meetings
with
different
communities,”
he
said.
Jele
reminded
residents
that
degeneration
in
the
constituency
affects
everyone.
“Don’t
blame
leaders
if
Nkulumane
deteriorates,
it
is
Nkulumane
that
suffers,
not
the
MP
alone.
It
affects
all
of
us,”
said
the
candidate.