ALLEGETIONS of organised interference have emerged following violence and disturbances during School Development Committee (SDC) elections in Masvingo Urban, a recent full council meeting heard.
Ward 5 Councillor Esnath Zishiri accused Ward 10 Zanu PF councillor Sengerai Manyanga of sponsoring disruptions during SDC elections, particularly at Rujeko Primary School in 2025 and 2026.
“Let me not expose you, councillor Manyanga, for what you do. You organise, sponsor and bus people to disrupt SDC elections,” Zishiri said.
“You are the one who sponsored drunkards who came from Mucheke to vote in the SDC elections at Rujeko Primary on Saturday. Now you come here and ask for a report of what happened?”
Zishiri said it was widely known that Manyanga allegedly mobilises and pays individuals to influence SDC election outcomes.
The accusations were raised after Manyanga requested a report on the Rujeko Primary School elections, where Zanu PF-backed candidate Patience Mapfumo was voted out as SDC chairperson.
Manyanga dismissed the allegations.
“Those are just speculations. I don’t need to interfere in SDC elections because those schools are not in my ward,” he said.
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He, however, acknowledged being present during previous disturbances.
“Yes, I was at Rujeko last year when there were disruptions. I was there because I am a popular councillor who is called to different schools when there are problems.”
“When are you going to present your report on Rujeko Primary SDC elections? We hear there were drunk people who vandalised furniture and rigged elections.”
Zishiri fired back, maintaining that Manyanga had brought rowdy youths to rig elections.
“You can’t ask this house why furniture was vandalised when you are the one responsible for bussing drunk, rowdy youth to rig elections.”
Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that such practices extend beyond Rujeko Primary School to institutions such as Ndarama High School and Runyararo Primary School.
“They meet at specific points in Mucheke where they are picked up by buses or kombis and dropped at school gates. Each person is given about US$3 before the elections,” said one source.
Meanwhile, Nabioth Magwizi, a losing Zanu PF candidate in Ward 1, denied any involvement.
“I was not involved in bussing voters for SDC elections,” he said.
The allegations have raised concerns about political interference, electoral integrity, and violence in local school governance processes in Masvingo Urban.
