ZANU PF deputy spokesperson Psychology Maziwisa, who emerged victorious in the primary elections to become the party parliamentary candidate for Highfield constituency in the June 10 by-election, has accused fellow party members of trying to soil his name.
By Phyllis Mbanje
This followed reports by disgruntled Zanu PF functionaries in the area claiming Maziwisa was imposed as the parliamentary candidate for the by-elections through flawed internal polls ahead of other deserving candidates.
The allegations were recently corroborated by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP).
But Maziwisa yesterday said: “I will not listen to such nonsense coming from people who are not even Zanu PF members. Those allegations are utter rubbish and I will not even dignify them with an answer.”
According to the ZPP report released last week, some Zanu PF members who lost to Maziwisa in the party’s primary elections described the internal polls as flawed.
“ZPP is the creation of the likes of Jestina Mukoko and I have no kind words for such,” he said.
This also came amid reports that Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa was going around canvassing for the support of the alleged “imposed” candidates at the ballot box.
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Masimirembwa was also accused of encouraging party youths to enforce the empowerment policy by occupying any open residential spaces in the capital.
But, Masimirembwa yesterday scoffed at the allegations saying only those who met the criteria were chosen.
“There was no imposition of candidates in the primaries. We have rules and regulations that guide us and those reports are not true,” he said.
The ZPP report said in Dzivarasekwa party members were involved in scuffles over their preferred candidates.
The situation was the same elsewhere as there were reports that in Headlands the electorate was equally unhappy about the candidates whom they said were imposed.
ZPP reported that the announcement by the party leadership of Zanu PF Headlands candidate Christopher Chingosho as former party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa’s replacement was not well received by the electorate.
It is alleged the crowd which was being addressed by Higher Education minister Oppah Muchinguri, Agriculture minister Joseph Made and Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa started shouting that the candidate had been imposed, but the protests were reportedly quashed by State security agents.
Chingosho said he was not aware that there were such disgruntlements over his candidature. “This is the first time that I’m hearing of this issue,” he said.
