Beverly Bizeki

Confusion is reigning supreme in Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) after the party literally has three candidates who successfully filed for nomination for the by election in Masvingo West’s Ward 2.
The ward fell vacant following the recall of ward 2 councilor and Masvingo Mayor Shantiel Chiwara by Sengezo Tshabangu who claims to be interim CCC secretary general.
The trio are Chiwara, former Councillor Roki Kamuzonda and Frank Chirairo who filed as Independent though he was a CCC member who contested in the party primaries earlier.
The three are igniting their June 2023 battle where they clashed at primaries, with Kamuzonda and Chirairo, despite leading the Bereka Mwana stage, failed to succeed in other stages of the election.
After the party announced Chiwara as the official candidate, Chirairo went on to file for nomination and was reported to police for allegedly forging signatures but went on to withdraw his candidature after the party promised to withdraw charges which they went on to do.
On the other hand Kamuzonda filed as independent accusing Chiwara of sleeping her way up and said if the party had considered Chirairo he was not going to contest.
He however went on to withdraw after allegedly being offered US$500 as compensation and was accused of secretly working with Zanu PF candidate Benson Hwata in a bid to make sure Chiwara lost the seat.
Interestingly, Kamuzonda and Chirairo have swapped positions; Kamuzonda filed under CCC which locals have termed CCC Tshabangu while Chirairo is now the independent candidate.
Speaking after the nomination on Tuesday November 7, Chiwara said her papers were signed by her party led by Chamisa’s local signatories and said she was confident of a resounding victory.
“I have successfully filed my nomination papers as the candidate to represent CCC led by Chamisa on the December 9 by election following my recall by Tshabangu who claim to be SG though we do not have such structures in our party.
“I am grateful to the leaders for giving me another opportunity to represent the party and I am confident that ward 2 residents will support me as they did in the previous election,” said Chiwara.
Commenting on the recall, Chiwara said she was not disturbed that much as she was recalled by an impostor not her party which she said was still behind her.
“I am not disturbed by the recall though it came unexpectedly, knowing the recall did not come from our leadership I was not disturbed very much because they have assured me that we are on track and that whatever is happening is politics and should be expected.
“Now I am confident that whether in power or not, in office or not, the leadership of the movement that I work with is on track and we are in good books so I do not have a problem with that,” said Chiwara.
On the other hand, Kamuzonda said he was happy to be back in the game and was grateful to God for answering his prayers saying his papers were signed in Harare
“I have filed my papers signed from Harare so that I can be able to participate in the coming by election where I will be representing CCC. I am happy because God has remembered me ever since the time I was let down, my prayers have been answered.
“I want to promise ward 2 residents that I will address the challenges they were facing recently, the destroying of stall markets and harassment of widow and orphan vendors in the streets. I will try to negotiate with responsible authorities to find a better solution than chasing people and destroying properties,” said Kamuzonda.
On social media platforms, Chiwara seems to have an upper hand over others by the mere fact that she has Chamisa’s endorsement.
In the many Ward 2 WhatsApp groups, Chiwara enjoys support while a few sympathize with Kamuzonda, who showed interests of retaining the seat since the recall of Chiwara.
Soon after the recall, Kamuzonda has been giving updates to residents on council operations which he was likely getting from his previous contacts in council.
On the other hand, Chirairo who was silent on social media and could have been campaigning silently said his chances of winning were excellent saying he was still loyal to CCC and the work he was doing before the August 23 elections.
“My chances of winning are high, I have been campaigning before the August 23 elections and my promises to people are still the same. I still have the support I had last time though I failed to get a chance to represent the party,” said Chirairo.
He said his decision to stand as independent was because of the push he got from people in the ward.
Sources say Chirairo could benefit if Tshabangu decides to stop Chiwara from contesting on the technicality that she is not a party member.
Faced with that situation, CCC may support Chirairo as a better candidate as supporting Kamuzonda will be seen like endorsing Tshabangu though Kamuzonda claims that he has Chamisa’s blessing.
Zanu PF will be represented by Benson Hwata who lost to Chiwara in the August 2023 elections and he could probably be smiling that the CCC impasse could work in his favor.

By Own Correspondent

MASVINGO – Women and youths, mostly in rural communities particularly Gutu, confided to TellZim that they are living in fear due to escalation of political violence ahead of by-elections to be held on November 11, 2023 and December 09, 2023 respectively.

The November 11 by-election came into effect following the death of another candidate during the run up to the August 23 general elections, whilst the December 09 by-elections are as a result of recalls of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change’s (CCC) Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the party’s interim secretary general.

In terms of Section 50 of the Zimbabwe Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi, who was an independent candidate for Gutu West Constituency, died before the commencement of polls, and accordingly, the election for the constituency was terminated.

Incidences of political violence against young women and youths have since been reported in Gutu West, while online violence and hate speech is said to be rampant in Masvingo West’s Ward 2 where four candidates are battling it out to replace the recalled Shantiel Chiwara.

Technically, CCC has fielded three candidates – Chiwara, Roki Kamuzonda and Frank Chirairo who opted to file as independent candidate after he was frustrated by his party which, unjustly, denied him opportunity to contest at the general elections. The fourth candidate is Benson Hwata of Zanu PF.

In Gutu West, cases of political violence targeting youths and women are on the increase with the latest having occurred at Chiriga Business Centre where six people were left for dead on November 08.

No arrests have since been made so far. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi once said while addressing the media that the delays in the arrests are sometimes because the said victims would not have reported the cases to the police or investigations will be still on-going.

“As the ZRP, we are committed to swiftly deal with any case reported. However, most of the cases involving political violence would have not been reported to the police. So I want to urge members of the public to swiftly report their cases to the police instead of just sharing their stories on social media,” said Asst. Comm. Nyathi.

In Gutu West, a helpless woman Loveness Gwatidzo was beaten up by allegedly Zanu PF supporters and she is currently admitted at Gutu Mission Hospital where she is battling for life amid reports that she suffered spinal cord injuries.

Whilst Zanu PF has distanced itself from the political violence, the CCC candidate Morudu confirmed the incident and said other several injured people were afraid to go to hospital because the security agents, who are also being accused of terrorising opposition members, may follow them there.

“Some of the people who got injured have not gone to the hospital as they are afraid of being followed by security agents in hospital. Gwatidzo has since been admitted at the hospital because she is said to have sustained spinal cord injuries,” said Morudu.

One of the political violence victims Tapiwa Chiro said the Zanu PF supporters unselectively started beating up people at the business centre.

“There were about eight people in the shop who were doing stock take; and we heard a hard knock on the door before it was kicked open. They started beating everyone including my wife. I also received a thourough beating before I escaped to the other room and subsequently into the nearby bush. My wife is currently admitted at the hospital. I still don’t know the reason why we were beaten,” said Chiro.

Despite them correctly identifying some of the perpetrators, no arrests have been made so far.
“We managed to identify one Zanu PF member (name supplied) and his brother and we reported the case to the police but no arrests so far,” said Chiro.

Other victims were identified as Brian Sithole, Privilege Goremushandu, Ephraim Tavarwisa and Sydney Mashiri have reported the matter to the police at Chatsworths.

There have been series of political violence cases were reported in Gutu and other parts of the Zimbabwe during the run up to the August 23 elections and now as the nation prepares for the pending by-elections.

Beverly Bizeki

As the date for the Gutu west by election draws closer, violence cases have started to be reported with the latest being of the six members who were injured during a violence storm that occurred at Chiriga Business Centre on November 8, 2023.
Though no comment could be obtained from the police by time of writing, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Gutu West candidate Ephraim Morudu confirmed the incident saying he was told that a number of people were injured.
“I have heard of the happenings at Chiriga Business Centre, I was told that people were injured in the attack and Loveness Gwatidzo is currently admitted at Gutu Mission Hospital and is said to have sustained spinal cord injuries.
“However, some of the people who got injured have not gone to the hospital as they are afraid of being followed by security agents in hospital,” said Morudu.
Allegations are that on the given day, a group of about seven people alleged to be Zanu PF members stormed Soweto Spot shop at the centre which belongs to Tapiwa Chiro at around 8:00 pm where he was doing a stock take together with his wife Loveness Gwatidzo.
Sources who spoke to this publication said a group of people who were in the shop intended to buy food as they were going to guard the venue where Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) was going to hold its rally ahead of the November 11 by election.
When contacted for comment, Chiro said he heard a strange knock on the door before it was forced open and the suspects entered the room and started beating people in the shop.
“There were about eight people in the shop when we heard a hard knock on the door before it was kicked open. They started beating my wife, and I managed to escape into another room.
“I managed to get out but I got a beating before I fled into a nearby bush and heard my wife screaming before the group left the scene,” said Chiro.
He said they managed to identify one ward 6 Gutu West Zanu PF member and his brother among the perpetrators.
“We managed to identify one Zanu PF member (name supplied) and his brother and we later reported to the police,” said Chiro.
Other victims were identified as Brian Sithole, Privilege Goremushandu, Ephraim Tavarwisa and Sydney Mashiri have reported the matter to the police at Chatsworths.
A series of political violence cases were reported in Gutu and other parts of the province in the run up to the August 23 elections.