ZANU PF has ordered the party’s district and provincial executives to submit all applications and CVs submitted by aspiring candidates to the party headquarters for vetting, following reports of underhand dealings in the vetting exercise at lower levels.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
This follows reports that several aspiring Zanu PF candidates linked to former President Robert Mugabe’s G40 faction were being clandestinely withdrawn from the race in order to protect some sitting legislators and councillors.
In a letter dated April 11 and addressed to all the party’s districts and provinces, Zanu PF administration secretary Obert Mpofu directed the party’s structures to accept all applications, note the necessary comments and forward to the party’s leadership in Harare without exception.
Mpofu said Zanu PF’s senior leadership was angry with the way the process had been handled by the provinces.
“Reference is made to the commissariat letter dated April 3, 2018. The letter serves to advise that (the) leadership of the party has been inundated with calls by aspiring candidates who are claiming that their CVs have been thrown out at both administrative district and provincial levels disqualifying them to participate in the primary elections.
“Several aspiring candidates also swarmed Zanu PF headquarters from all provinces complaining about their disqualification to stand by provinces. Leadership is disturbed and dismayed by this development and wants immediate correction to this matter,” Mpofu said.
“As secretary for administration, I, hereby, direct all provinces to receive all CVs of aspiring candidates, make comments and urgently forward them to party headquarters for vetting.”
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According to Mpofu, the Zanu PF top leadership will now decide who qualifies or is rejected as a potential candidate.
“The final decision on who qualifies and who does not qualify will be made by party headquarters and not district or province. This is in reference to all CVs received before the cut-off date, but were rejected for whatever reason. I appeal to all provinces to adhere to the Zanu PF rules and regulations that government the conduct of primary elections as directed above,” he said.
Such has been the outcry from aggrieved party activists that there have been reports of a possible protest vote, with some reportedly threatening to support the opposition.
Most of the complaints were raised by aspiring candidates from Masvingo, Mashonaland Central, West and Manicaland provinces.
