As results started trickling in last night, some Zanu PF bigwigs including former Health minister David Parirenyatwa, politburo member Tendai Chirau and ex-wife of ruling party deputy president Kembo Mohadi, Tambudzani fell by the wayside in chaotic central committee elections held yesterday.
The polls were marred by reports of vote buying with ICT
minister Jenfan Muswere arriving at a polling station in Manicaland with a
truck full of bicycles in what was seen as an attempt to buy votes.
Parirenyatwa and Lillian Zemura were defeated by David
Mugomeza in Murewa district.
In Beitbridge, Mohadi and Ambassador Aaron Maboyi fell by
the wayside in the polls.
Although returning officer Zanu PF provincial member
Ntombiyakhe Ndlovu did not disclose official results, excited participants said
former Beitbridge Mayor Showa Moyo had bagged the women’s quota slot ahead of
Mohadi.
Mohadi’s supporters disputed the results.
“Results will be released from the province but all I can
tell you is that all went well and it was indeed peaceful,” Ndlovu said.
Zanu PF insiders said war veteran Mazibisa Ngwenya beat
three other candidates for the Beitbridge East slot while sitting proportional
representative MP for Beitbridge Metrine Mudau brushed aside a challenge by
Maboyi.
In Wedza district, former Transport Deputy minister Michael
Madanha and his Foreign Affairs ministry counterpart David Musabayana lost.
They protested saying the elections were rigged.
Madanha was defeated by Esther Gwatidzo while Musabayana
lost to Bertha Choto.
Madanha is a former Wedza South MP and former Zimbabwe
National Road Authority (Zinara) board chairperson while Musabayana is the
current Wedza North MP.
Chirau, a politburo member, was outpolled in Harare by
Mavis Gumbo.
In Hurungwe North, the elections had to be postponed after
former finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe caused a scene at Karoi Country
Club where voting was taking place.
There was chaos as two of his bouncers including an
election agent were chased away from the venue with one of them forced to
delete videos and photos that he had taken.
Mukupe was contesting against former deputy minister and MP
Reuben Marumahoko. There were ugly scenes from drunken youths who claimed there
was vote buying ahead of the elections.
Some voters were booked at local hotels and guest houses
around the farming town of Karoi amid claims that they were given cash and
mobile phones among other goodies.
Close allies of the late Robert Mugabe such as Sydney
Sekeramayi and Webster Shamu were however celebrating after winning.
Sekeramayi was uncontested in Marondera while Shamu won in
Chegutu West.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close ally and controversial
socialite Mike Chimombe won in Chinhoyi after he outpolled Charles Mutisi and
Alderman Simbarashe Kanzou.
Chimombe is out of custody on $56 000 bail for fraud
charges.
In Makonde, deputy information minister Kindness Paradza
won uncontested after Phineas Makumbe withdrew citing “unethical and dirty
politics”
“I Phineas Makumbe do hereby withdraw my candidature for
the central committee elections for Makonde district owing to the unethical and
dirty politics being exhibited by my opponent Kindness Paradza” Makumbe wrote
in his withdrawal letter.
Philip Chiyangwa won in Zvimba South while Marian Chombo
was elected in Zvimba North.
Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi was uncontested in Zvimba
West while former CIO operative Francis Mukwangwariri emerged victorious in
Zvimba East.
In Matabeleland, logistical challenges affected the
elections as voting in areas such as Hwange and Binga started after 3pm, an
hour before the deadline.
Reports said Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert
Mpofu and his wife Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu won in Umguza. Sikhanyisiwe was
unopposed.
In Harare, a tense atmosphere engulfed the polling areas as
Zanu PF candidates battled it out for Central Committee positions.
The voting process was delayed in all Harare’s six votes
with counting going into the night.
At Stodart Hall in Mbare, visibly drunk youths caused chaos
after their preferred candidate one Gijima had been contested. The youths
wanted to beat up other contestants for contesting Gijima.
Zanu PF’s Harare team leader Maybe Mbowa said the delay was
caused by meticulous verification by the electoral college.
“We are still counting the votes because there was a slight
delay. Everything went on well,” Mbowa said.
The Central Committee is Zanu PF’s supreme decision making
body in-between congresses. Yesterday’s elections were held weeks away from the
party’s elective congress. Standard
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