Philip Chiyangwa has thrown his name into the ring to
represent the ruling party in Chinhoyi constituency and has pledged to wrest
the seat from the opposition MDC-T. Dr Chiyangwa, who lost elections for the
same seat in 2013, said he will help galvanise the party to correct mistakes
that led to his defeat.
“Let it be known today that Dr Philip Chiyangwa will
stand in the 2018 harmonised elections. I know I have all that is needed in
terms of requirements by the party to represent it. We were caught off guard by
the MDC-T who bussed in people from outside Chinhoyi to vote, but this time
around we are wiser. That seat must return to Zanu-PF,” he said while
addressing a Zanu-PF Makonde inter-district meeting at the district offices in
Chinhoyi yesterday.
Out of the 22 parliamentary seats in Mashonaland West in
2013, Zanu-PF won all except for Chinhoyi. Dr Chiyangwa said he wanted to atone
for the loss and hand President Mugabe a resounding victory in the
constituency. While acknowledging the dynamics of the predominantly urban
constituency, Dr Chiyangwa said with unity and hard work, Chinhoyi would return
to Zanu-PF.
At least four other aspiring candidates are soliciting for
votes through various activities in Chinhoyi. Dr Chiyangwa warned those who
were prematurely committing themselves financially to bolster their campaign
that they risked falling foul of the party criteria. Party Secretary for Administration
Dr Ignatius Chombo is on record as warning people against campaigning, saying
the party’s only confirmed candidate for the 2018 plebiscite was
President
Mugabe.
Dr Chombo said the party had not yet laid out the criteria
for candidates and aspiring candidates should allow incumbents to finish their
terms. Once spelt out, aspiring candidates would be allowed to express their
interest and start campaigning.
The Makonde inter-district meeting reaffirmed Politburo
member Cde Prisca Mupfumira and Dr Chiyangwa as their senior members ahead of
the Extraordinary Congress in December. Said Cde Tony Mwanza: “As a district we
do not want any changes to the line of senior members. That means that Cdes
Chiyangwa and Mupfumira retain their positions. Cde Mupfumira was appointed
Politburo member by the President after being chosen by us (Makonde district)
as our Central Committee member.” herald
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