ZANU PF’s disqualified parliamentary aspirants yesterday broke their silence and castigated the party for putting in place “undemocratic regulations” meant to protect influential officials.
REPORT BY JOHN NYASHANU
In separate interviews with NewsDay, the rebels vowed to contest as independents despite threats of expulsion from the party and “advice” by politburo member Jonathan Moyo for them to withdraw their candidature.
The development came ahead of a potentially explosive politburo meeting today that is expected to tackle the swelling disgruntlement over the primary elections.
The party central committee and national consultative assembly were also scheduled to meet on Friday and Saturday respectively.
A source in the politburo told NewsDay that the issue of disgruntled losing candidates and the party’s campaign strategy were set to be high on the agenda of the politburo, central committee and national consultative assembly meetings.
Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo’s ex-wife, Marian, who filed her nomination papers as an independent candidate to challenge her former husband in Zvimba North, vowed not to withdraw her candidature “for the sake of the people”.
“For the past 18 years, the people of Zvimba North have had to contend with imposition of one candidate (Chombo). At this juncture, I just want to afford them the opportunity that has eluded them for so long,” she said. Asked whether she was not afraid to take this route given the tensions gripping Zanu PF over her decision to run as an independent, Marian said: “Of cause I get calls on why I am doing it, but I will not listen. If I do not do it, who else will? Besides, if you are standing for a good cause, you do not fear anyone.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Marian’s candidature became a hot potato in the corridors of power at Zanu PF headquarters, resulting in the intervention of President Robert Mugabe who is said to have backed Chombo.
Zanu PF insiders told NewsDay this week that the minister’s critics, including civic groups and the party’s political opponents, had seized the opportunity and were clandestinely backing Marian to bring down Chombo, a survivor of countless alleged scandals.
In Mudzi South, another parliamentary aspirant Jonathan Samukange was also breathing fire yesterday. He has also opted to stand as an independent after he was barred from standing as a Zanu PF candidate.
A renowned lawyer, Samukange blasted the party for breaching its own constitution and appointing his rival, Eric Navaya, to be “both judge and jury”.
“The sitting MP was the one charged with vetting my CV. I raised it with the national elections directorate chaired by the national chairman (Simon Khaya Moyo). It was then referred to the province which referred it back to the district where again Navaya was chairing,” he said.
Samukange further accused Navaya of breaching Zanu PF constitution when he disqualified him for having served the party for less than five consecutive years.
“Section 8.4 (e) clearly states that one must have served the party for a cumulative period of five years, not necessarily consecutive five years,” he said.
In Mbare, Harare, another Zanu PF battle spilled to the courts with aspiring candidate Nelson Chadamoyo seeking to nullify politburo Tendai Savanhu’s victory in the primaries. Through his lawyers Koto and Company Legal Practitioners, Chadamoyo argued that voters were bussed from outside the constituency, his supporters assaulted and himself denied the right to vote.
“The people who voted were Mbare residents and others were from outside Mbare. Wherein in actual fact the people who were supposed to have voted are Mbare residents only,” Chadamoyo alleged.
He went on to allege violence in his founding affidavit.
“My supporters were even assaulted by Savanhu’s supporters and I made a police report under CR 1805650/13 at Mbare Police station,” he said.
Other issues include one involving Bikita West Zanu PF Parliamentary aspirants, Munyaradzi Kereke and Elias Musakwa, who both filed papers as party candidates.
Their case was also expected to feature prominently on the politburo agenda today.
