Will Mayweather’s appearance prove a hit at the polls?
Boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather has come and gone and it remains to be seen if the man who brought him here will get value for his money on August 23.
According to local media reports, the retired former world boxing champion did not come cheap and was paid close to US$1 million to land in Harare.
While the famous pugilist may have pulled a crowd, I would be very surprised if his brief cameo appearance has any effect whatsoever on how people cast their votes when the country goes to the ballot next month.
Mayweather attended a rally last Thursday as part of the ruling party’s attempts to entice young voters ahead of the impending general elections.
But no doubt many have already forgotten as they continue to face their daily challenges of unemployment and the high cost of living.
And as for gold dealer and President Emmerson Mnangagwa ally, Pedzisayi Scott Sakupwanya, time will soon tell if his efforts pay off.
Sakupwanya is the man who financed Mayweather’s visit to Zimbabwe; he hopes fulfilling his pledge to bring the retired boxer to the country will be enough to earn him a seat in Parliament.
“People thought I was lying when I said I would bring Mayweather, but he is here. This shows that what I will promise in this election will come to pass,” he told Reuters at the rally.
Sakupwanya is looking to reclaim a parliamentary seat from the opposition.
But I hope he will not be one of those politicians who will go to bed with their shoes on due to stress upon learning they lost the election – after all he has millions to dry his tears seeing that he is a leading gold dealer.
Talking of gold dealers, the main figure in the Gold Mafia Scandal, Prophet Uebert Angel is in the country, with no care whatsoever about the damaging expose.
This week he donated food handouts to thousands of people in Harare as part of Zanu PF’s goal to target five million voters.
On August 4, Angel will hold an all-night vigil, codenamed ‘Global Night of Deliverance’, in the capital city where thousands are expected to attend.
Meanwhile, the ruling party was trending on social media on Tuesday after the government declared that all billboards related to campaigning should be approved first.
“Advertising Agencies which rent out the space are now required to seek government approval for all content they intend to put up” read a memo to advertising agencies.
This followed several billboards of presidential aspirant, Saviour Kasukuwere springing up in his home province of Mashonaland Central.
As mentioned in this column before, Kasukuwere, a former cabinet minister and Zanu PF commissar, seems to be a major upset for the ruling party.