There was drama at the Nomination Court in Harare yesterday with two Zanu PF candidates attempting to file their papers to contest the Harare East by election as internal fights in the ruling party manifested at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
BY CHARLES LAITON/OWN CORRESPONDENTS
Two factions aligned to two Zanu PF prospective candidates, Terrence Mukupe and former Zifa Women’s Football boss Mavis Gumbo, confronted each other outside Court Number 4 attracting the attention of other candidates as they hurled insults at each other.
The drama started soon after Mukupe had successfully submitted his papers with the Nomination Court and was waiting for the process to be completed when Gumbo also arrived at the same venue with her papers.
Gumbo entered the court and provisionally joined the queue before pulling out while holding papers and when she went outside the courtroom, commotion started with Mukupe shouting on top of his voice saying: “Enough of this (Godwills) Masimirembwa, we are tired of this . . . enough is enough of Masimirembwa.”
When journalists rushed to witness the incident, Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa was just standing by in the company of Gumbo and her supporters as Mukupe’s supporters battled to drag him away from the rival group simmering in anger.
Fourteen vacancies were created by the MDC-T’s recall of its 21 MPs from Parliament for breaking away and forming their own political party – MDC Renewal Team — in April last year.
The full Constitutional Court bench on Tuesday dismissed the 21 MPs, petition to declare their seats vacant paving the way for the sitting of the Nomination Court to receive names of those contesting the June 10 elections.
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Three candidates will battle it out in the Mbizo by-election after successfully submitting their papers at the court in Gweru.
These are Vongaishe Mpereri (Zanu PF), Innocent Madziva (Transform Zimbabwe) and Onesimo Tafirei Zhawari, an independent.
Eight candidates also successfully filed their papers in Mutare for the Dangamvura-Chikanga seat.
These include Mutare businessman Esau Mupfumi (Zanu PF), Fugamai Mawire (MKD), and Ruramai Musiiwa (NCA).
Gashirai Puwayi will be representing the Freedom Front while Maxwell Teedza will stand for Transform Zimbabwe.
Three independent candidates, Kuziva Maundike, Richard Chengetai Kadzere and James Mundenda, also successfully filed their papers.
At the time of going to print last night the Nomination Court had not yet released names of successful candidates.
The MDC-T and MDC have boycotted the polls citing lack of electoral reforms.
