President Emmerson Mnangagwa unexpectedly announced that
primary elections to select the party’s candidates would be held this month, at
a politburo meeting last Wednesday, giving the aspirants just a few days to put
their houses in order.
Zanu PF candidates are set to participate in the
parliamentary seats, local authority and senatorial elections next week.
The party yesterday started the process of receiving
curriculum vitaes(CVs) from aspiring
candidates and set guidelines for the
primaries to select representatives for the forthcoming polls.
The deadline for submitting the CVs was yesterday before
they are sent to the party’s elections directorate by tomorrow.
Zanu PF has deployed politburo members to observe the
elections.
The Standard heard that some sitting legislators and other
aspiring candidates were already playing dirty, using political muscle, state
security and traditional leaders to frustrate their rivals.
In Makoni district, Manicaland Minister of Information and
Communication and Technology (ICT) Jenfan Muswere is in the eye of a storm for
allegedly pushing for the suspension of the nurse-in-charge at Gwangwadza
clinic, Aleck Mapudzi.
Muswere, a Makoni West MP, is said to be unhappy after his
rival and primary election candidate Moses Ruwona made a donation at the
clinic.
The gesture was seen
as a vote-buying gimmick.
Bus operator and businessman Matinenga Mhiripiri is also
eyeing the seat.
The Standard is in possession of the suspension letter
dated March 9, 2023 directed to Mapudzi written by Makoni Rural District
Council chief executive officer only identified as Masanganise.
“Following your report dated 9 March 2023 on the issue of
the clinic donations that you received, you are hereby suspended from
employment with effect from March 9, 2023,” the letter reads.
“The suspension is with full salary and is in terms of the
Statutory Instrument 87 and second schedule (Section 16).
“During your suspension you are not allowed to carry out
any clinic duties and not to interfere with clinic operations as investigations
are ongoing.
“We invite you to attend a hearing on March 24 at the
council boardroom
“You are free to bring a trade union official, workers
union committee member, representative of a fellow employee for the hearing.”
Zanu PF ward 26 chairperson in the same constituency,
Luxton Chingara was yesterday seething with anger saying their headman, one
Mupambawashe, was instructed by Chief Makoni to stop any candidates campaigning
against Muswere.
“Chief Makoni has imposed that Muswere should not be
contested after giving an instruction to our headman,” he said.
“The chief has instructed some traditional leaders to
converge at his homestead tomorrow (today).”
Chief Makoni, also known as Corgan Zendera, dismissed the
allegations saying he was not taking sides.
On Friday, Muswere went to headman Masvosva in the
constituency where he threatened to withdraw presidential inputs from areas
where his rivals supposedly drew support.
The (ICT) minister is accused of using computers as bait to
get votes ahead of the 2023 elections.
Muswere yesterday did not respond to calls by The Standard.
He also did not respond to WhatsApp messages on the matter.
Several other bigwigs are using the same modus operandi to
ringfence their positions by instructing traditional leaders not to entertain
their rivals.
“Traditional leaders and state security are being used by
party’s bigwigs to ring fence their positions in constituencies,” a source
said.
“Party bigwigs are panicking and fear losing their
parliamentary seats and become ordinary party members.”
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe is said to be
enjoying the support of the police who are accused of targeting
his rivals in Mashonaland Central to frustrate them from holding their
campaign meetings.
Kazembe has
allegedly handpicked the party’s provincial vice president Christopher
Kagomo to challenge the incumbent Patrick Dutiro.
In Mazowe Central, Sydney Chidamba MP allegedly deployed his foot soldiers to block Gladman
Njanji from entering into full time politics to challenge him.
Some sitting legislators such as Wedza South MP Tino
Machakaire are accused of using their financial muscle to try and buy votes to
retain their seat.
Gutu West MP John Paradza said he had done all the
groundwork.
Paradza, who is also the Zanu PF deputy youth secretary, is
said to have gained an upper hand by using youth league structures to sway
votes in his favour.
“In my constituency, l have done every ground work needed,”
he said.
In Bulawayo, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is said to be
another aspiring candidate.
In Chegutu West, sitting MP Dexter Nduna is accused of
threatening violence against opponents.
Zanu PF political commissar Mike Bimha yesterday said he
was not aware of behind-the -scenes shenanigans by some sitting MPs and bigwigs
to shut out their rivals.
“So far everything is okay and l don’t know about the
allegations and l don’t comment on what l don’t know,” he said. Standard
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