ZANU PF primary elections ended farcically yesterday amid
reports of massive vote-rigging, bloody clashes and the defeat of party
bigwigs, while some losing candidates seized and burnt the ballot papers, as
they threatened to rally their supporters to back opposition party candidates
in protest over the way the internal polls were held.
In Centenary, Mashonaland Central, the process was aborted
midway after disgruntled candidates and their supporters stormed the polling
station at Mukwengure Primary School, citing various irregularities, among them
stuffing of ballot boxes and being blocked from voting.
In Gutu North, two Zanu PF bigwigs Amon Murwira (Higher
Education minister) and legislator Tichafa Madondo were pummelled by a
political lightweight, Yeukai Simbanegavi, in an election marred by allegations
of stuffing of ballot boxes.
Murwira and Madondo rejected the election results and
immediately drove to Masvingo to seek nullification of the election process.
Chaotic scenes were also reported in Sanyati constituency,
Mashonaland West province, where one of the parliamentary candidates, Lovemore
Chimombe and his supporters, had to be dragged out of the polling station by
police officers, as they protested alleged manipulation of the voting process.
Results in other parts of the province such as Chinhoyi,
Zvimba North and Makonde constituencies were nullified due to alleged
irregularities.
Provincial elections officer, Sydney Nyanungo said they
would soon order a re-run following a stalemate.
“I don’t want to call it a re-run, but there is a stalemate
because of the method that was used to distribute the ballot papers … the
ballot papers were exposed, which means somebody could have duplicated (sic)
because they ended up with excess ballot papers and that is the problem we are
rectifying.”
Members allege that some candidates bussed people from
other areas, some used their own voters’ roll and other candidates’ names were
not on the ballot papers.
Nyanungo said dates of the re-run will be announced this
week.
In Murewa South, voters reportedly forced the primary
election to be suspended demanding that former Provincial Affairs minister
Biggie Matiza’s adversaries appear on the ballot first.
Violent skirmishes were also reported at Craiglea Primary
School in Zawe District, Murewa South, where riot police had to intervene after
party members allegedly seized ballot papers and burnt them at the school’s
football pitch. Some of the ballot papers were torn and strewn all over the
school yard.
In Jekwa ward 17, Macheke, ballot papers were also
reportedly burnt as party members protested against alleged irregularities.
In Seke constituency, where Vice-President Constantino
Chiwenga’s mother-in-law, Helga Mubaiwa was contesting against businessman
Munyaradzi Kashambe, voting was also marred by protests over missing names on
the voters’ register.
In Manicaland, Zanu PF chairperson, Oppah Muchinguri and
elections directorate commissioner, Zenzo Nsimbi had a torrid time trying to
pacify angry candidates, who besieged the party’s provincial headquarters in
Mutare protesting against voting irregularities.
“I can admit the verification exercise was not done
correctly,” Nsimbi said. “I am here as a commissioner to find out what is
happening in these elections and we are going to write a report. We addressed
all the anomalies, please go to your wards and vote.”
Aspiring council candidate, Clever Muparutsa claimed they
had received ballots meant for Gokwe while Mutasa South MP, Irene Zindi alleged
vote-rigging in her constituency.
“These primary elections are full of chaos, people here
started to vote around 6pm and the voting ended around 1am.
“They could have waited to vote so that all issues were
addressed, some people were on the voters’ roll and this can be vote rigging at
play, we need to elect the best candidate,” she said.
In Mutare North, members refused to vote after some ballot
papers went missing. The constituency’s legislator, Batsirai Pemhenayi claimed
that they left 21 000 ballot papers the previous day at Odzi Police Station and
only found 11 000 when they returned yesterday.
Pemhenayi said he suspected vote-rigging.
In Mutasa North, war veterans’ secretary for education,
Wilbert Sadomba left the constituency in a huff, but claimed he was still in
the running.
“Voting started this morning, but I have already left.
“I know there are powers who would not want me to contest
let alone win because they are angry at the stance I took regarding the (former
First Lady) Grace Mugabe’s doctorate,” Sadomba, a lecturer at the University of
Zimbabwe, said.
“I also fear I could lose my job.”
In Kwekwe Central constituency, John Mapurazi officially
wrote to the party announcing he was pulling out of the race.
“My car and gate were destroyed, my agent was beaten up at
BD Muonde polling station [and] a polling station was put at a candidate’s
premise. So I am afraid for my security,” the letter read.
However, in other parts of the country, particularly Harare
and Chitungwiza, the process was relatively smooth with Chitungwiza Hospital
chief executive officer, Obadiah Moyo’s triumphing in Zengeza West
constituency.
Highly-placed sources claimed in Highfield East Mike
Mashonganyika won the right to represent Zanu PF in the opposition bastion,
while Finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe reportedly took Harare East amid
reports of violent clashes as well as kidnapping.
In Budiriro constituency, provincial youth league leader,
Godfrey Gomwe will stand for Zanu PF, while Zimbabwe Tourism Authority boss,
Karikoga Kaseke’s, wife Betty Nhambu-Kaseke won the Kuwadzana slot.
Zanu PF will field Philip Guyo in St Mary’s, Enerst
Chagadama in Kuwadzana East, former ENG Capital boss, Gilbert Muponda in Warren
Park, Tendai Chikasha in Chitungwiza North, Dunny Derera in Mufakose, George
Chimhini in Dzivarasekwa, provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa in
Mabvuku-Tafara and George Mashavave in Harare West according to provisional
results obtained unofficially by NewsDay.
Gomwe confirmed he was Zanu PF’s candidate for the general
election set for later this year.
“It’s true I won. We finished last night (Sunday night)
around 11pm. I got 893 votes, Chiweshe 364 and the other two are around 100 or
below,” he said.
Nhambu-Kaseke also confirmed she had been elected as Zanu
PF candidate for Kuwadzana constituency.
“There was a typing error and I was listed as a candidate
for Kumbuzuma. I am standing in my current constituency and won resoundingly,”
she said, without providing figures.
“However, there were no ballots for the women’s senatorial
seat. Our results were announced last night.”
Masimirembwa confirmed counting in Harare was complete, but
said the results would be announced by the commissariat.
“We [have] finished counting in most parts of Harare. It’s
not my position to give the results, but the commissariat will make the
necessary announcement,” he said.
In Bulawayo, Peter Baka Nyoni, the husband of Women’s
Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni was chased out of the party’s Daves Hall
provincial headquarters, his crime being that he dared contest against former
War Veterans’ minister Tshinga Dube. Newsday
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