MANICALAND Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene on Saturday publicly chastised Zanu PF’s Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency candidate Esau Mupfumi for his alleged arrogant behaviour and urged him to reform or risk losing the June 10 by-election.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
This was soon after Mupfumi had been declared winner of the party’s primary elections, beating his rivals Binali Yard, Reketai Duru, Kenneth Muchina and Pariyana Futuru by a wide margin.
“Mr Mupfumi, we have put our lives in you and you should desist from your behavior. We always hear from people and you should stop it because that personality will cost the party. We always hear from people that you, you don’t answer their phones and when they visit you, you don’t open gates for them and we don’t want it in the party,” Chimene said.
The remarks were made in the presence of senior Zanu PF members including chief whip Joram Gumbo, deputy secretary for youth affairs in the politburo Kudzai Chipanga, Manicaland acting provincial chairman Samuel Undenge and journalists.
Speaking at the same event, Gumbo said the elections were an in-house exercise that should not divide but unite the party.
The Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency fell vacant last month after the sitting MP Arnold Tsunga was recalled by the MDC-T alongside 20 other legislators on charges of crossing the floor to join MDC Renewal Team.
The MDC-T has vowed not to contest the by-elections citing an uneven playing field.
