Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Susan Matsunga is facing accusations of “selling out” after she publicly praised President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his adviser Paul Tungwarara during the commissioning of a borehole project in Budiriro North.
The remarks were made on Tuesday when Tungwarara unveiled boreholes drilled under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme in the opposition stronghold. The event was attended by several ruling party figures, including businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Godwills Masimirembwa.
In her address, Matsunga thanked Mnangagwa and commended the government for bringing development to her constituency, describing what Mnangagwa had done as a “miracle”.
“I want to thank His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, baba Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, in absentia. Muripo musipo nhume yenyu yasvika, baba Tungwarara and development yavaunza mukati me Budiriro North. Baba hamuna kutarisa kuti muri baba vemhuri iyi muri baba vemhuri yese.
“Baba ropafadzwai and your wishes be fulfilled. On behalf of the citizens of Budiriro, we are happy, we are proud of you, Daddy. Everyone is here, leaders are here and are testifying. We have never seen this miracle,” said Matsunga.
Her comments have since triggered backlash, particularly among opposition supporters, who accuse her of aligning herself with the ruling Zanu-PF.
Critics, mainly on social media, allege that Matsunga’s praise signals a shift in loyalty.
The Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme has been presented by authorities as a response to ongoing water shortages affecting urban communities. However, some analysts argue that such initiatives are increasingly being used to gain political ground in opposition-led areas.
The controversy comes amid ongoing changes within the opposition landscape following the resignation of Nelson Chamisa from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in January 2024, a move that has contributed to divisions within the movement.
In a recent opinion piece, political analyst Tendai Ruben Mbofana said the celebrations surrounding borehole drilling in urban areas point to a worrying decline in service delivery expectations.
Mbofana argued that treating boreholes as major achievements in cities reflects a “normalisation of mediocrity,” warning that citizens risk accepting substandard services as progress.
He said urban communities once enjoyed reliable tap water and modern infrastructure, and should demand restoration of those standards rather than celebrate stopgap measures.
“We are witnessing the normalization of mediocrity where basic rights are rebranded as presidential gifts and where the survival of the urban dweller is now tied to a bucket and a queue.
“When our parents migrated from the rural hinterlands to cities like Salisbury, Bulawayo, and Queque in the 1960s, they were driven by a fierce ambition for a better life.
“They did not move to the city to fetch water from a hole in the ground or to walk over sewage-soaked streets.
“They moved because the city promised a standard of dignity that included consistent running tap water, reliable electricity, and navigable tarred roads,” Mbofana stated.
He further contended that the growing tendency by some leaders, including those from opposition ranks, to applaud such initiatives raises concerns about the broader direction of governance and accountability in Zimbabwe.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa resigned from the party in January 2024 citing that the party had been captured.
Interestingly, on Tuesday Chamisa hailed his decision to dump CCC.
“THE TRUTH SPEAKS LAST.. Sometimes clarity only comes after you step away. Walking away from CCC wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I’m grateful to the Lord for His steady, faithful guidance through it all and every step of the way.
“It was the right decision, no regrets. When God leads, you move with conviction,” he wrote on his X handle.
