EXPELLED former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa’s hopes of representing the Headlands constituency in Parliament were dealt a heavy blow yesterday after the nomination court sitting in Mutare objected to his papers.
BY STAFF REPORTER
Mutasa had filed his papers under Zanu PF, but the Zimbabwe Election Commission (Zec) objected to that. The former Presidential Affairs minister was expelled from the ruling party early this year along with Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa after they were accused of belonging to a faction led by the former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
In Headlands constituency, Mutasa was going to face Christopher Chingosho, the person whom he trounced during the party primaries in the build-up to the 2013 harmonised elections.
The by-election will be held on June 10. In objecting to Mutasa’s papers, Zec provincial officer Moffatt Masabeya ruled that Mutasa had defied the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13 Section 46 (10) (c).
“We have disqualified the nomination papers of Didymus Mutasa after his papers were not supported by the party (Zanu PF) which he had put on his papers,” he said.
Three other candidates Christopher Chingosho (Zanu PF), David Mukunda (NCA) and Albert Mukaratira (independent) were successful.
Zanu PF acting Manicaland provincial chairman Samuel Undenge, who was present during the process, described Mutasa’s actions as “madness”.
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“I was happy with the whole process. But, I am surprised as to why does he (Mutasa) always think that he is still under Zanu PF? He was long expelled from the party,” he said.
Mutasa could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Earlier during the day before Mutasa’s papers were rejected at the last minute, Zanu PF national deputy youth chairperson Kudzi Chipanga, who is also Makoni West MP, said the party was confident that Mutasa would fail in his bid even if he stood as an independent candidate.
“Mutasa was expelled from Zanu PF and we don’t have anything to do with him. If there are people who have been threatened, they should just go to the police. There is nothing like intimidation in Headlands, Mutasa is just seeking media attention. He does not belong to us anymore and we don’t mind him,” said Chipanga.
Meanwhile, Mutasa’s nephew Mliswa successfully filed his nomination papers for Hurungwe West constituency as an independent.
Mliswa, the former Zanu PF chairman for Mashonaland West, will face Affirmative Action Group president Keith Guzah, who is representing Zanu PF in the polls also slated for June 10.
Mliswa was fired from Zanu PF together with Mutasa last month on allegations of plotting to oust Mugabe together with Mujuru.
