…Urges candidates to liaise and resolve the matter

Emmanuel Chitsika

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa said the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leadership admits responsibility over Masvingo urban ward 4 candidacy impasse that has led to confusion after two candidates successfully filed nomination papers.

Addressing thousands of CCC supporters at Rujeko grounds in Masvingo on March 20, Chamisa said the leadership shoulders the blame because they are the ones who signed nomination papers for the candidates.

“We acknowledge the mistake as leadership. We are the ones who signed the papers for both candidates. Next time, the responsibility of signing nomination papers would be limited to a specific individual not every person.

“We will make sure a specific individual is given the task of signing the documents to avoid these situations that lead to confusion,” said Chamisa.

He went on to urge the candidates to swallow their pride and engage each other to resolve the matter as he emphasised that he does not take a side on who should be considered ahead of the other but citizens will make a choice in the ballot box.

“Baba ndichengaose manhanga hapana risina mhodzi (I am a leader who does not take sides and would welcome everyone to the party). If you failed to resolve the matter on your own, then you have to go back to the drawing board and solve the matter.

“We do not want confusion at CCC. We want love, oneness and our things smoothly move forward that way,” said Chamisa.

There was a chaotic scene however leading to the parading of candidates by Chamisa as he concluded his speech as a defiant Thokozile Muchuchuti charged towards the stage before being tripped to the ground by some unruly supporters and Chamisa had to call for order.

“Order vana Mai (mothers) order. All those who do not want order, can you please leave this gathering immediately;” he added.

The double candidate impasse in ward 4 had dragged on for so long and Muchuchuti had on a number of occasions taken her rival Aleck Tabe to court for victimizing her since the nomination court sitting on January 26.

The battle to contest ward 4 local authority elections began after two candidates propped up in the CCC with Muchuchuti declining to bow down to pressure mounted by local party supporters and allegedly leadership pressurizing her to withdraw her candidature to pave way for Tabe.

TellZim reporter

Former Zanu Pf politburo member and strong man Dzikamai Mavhaire has urged the young generation to make a critical decision in the 2023 harmonized polls and avoid entrusting national leadership with the aging people whose ‘destination is the grave’.

Addressing scores of CCC supporters in Masvingo at Rujeko grounds, the former Zanu PF stalwart said it is wiser for the electorate to make sure they shun ageing political players saying they have nothing to offer for the nation.

“If you take a closer look at my age, my date of birth and where I am right now, and where my grave lies, which place is nearer if it is not the graveyard? Are you not ashamed of yourselves by choosing those going to the grave? If you compare my age to that of Emmerson Mnangagwa, who do you think is older than the other? Mnangagwa is older than me, so if am a grave, what about him? If you allow an old man like myself to lead the country, where will I be taking the nation?

“Right now if you take a close look here, how many of you are of the same age with me? How can you as the electorate allow someone like myself to express interest in retaining power, where can an old man like me take the country to? Are you not ashamed of yourselves to entrust an old man with such a responsibility? Can you not see that my age is no longer commensurate with such a task of leading the country? We as old people are no longer able to exercise such duties,” Mavhaire sarcastically said.

He went on to say he recalled how at one point he once warned former president Robert Mugabe against going against the will of the citizens and how Mugabe cried foul later after his demise.

“Rimwe gore ndakambotaurira mukoma (Mugabe), ndikati mukoma chibvai nekuti nguva yasvika, zvikanzi Mavhaire wataurisa asi vakazosara vochema ndikati hoo (I once warned my brother Mugabe that it was high time he relinquishes the post, he turned a deaf ear as he claimed that I was being talkative, but he later on regretted after his demise.

“I have and will always say that Zanu PF has not title deeds to rule this country. The liberation war was not fought so that some leaders will die on the throne,” he said.

The nomadic politician was granted the opportunity by CCC leader Chamisa who referred to him as a senior citizen who forms part of what he preferred to call ‘Orchestra Mberikwazvo or Blacks Unlimited’ in apparent references to Alick Macheso and Thomas Mapfumo’s musical bands who are part of yester year greats.

Fredrick Moyo

Community Tolerance Reconciliation Development (COTRAD) and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) joined hands in a voter education exercise in ward 18, Zaka on March 11 2022, teaching and encouraging people to register to vote.
Speaking at the event, ZEC representative Lowinah Ndondo said that they were encouraging people to vote as it is their right to do so and also that they can contest in elections when their names are in the voters roll.
“I have come here representing ZEC reminding and also educating each other to vote. Registering to vote is important because if you register and your name is entered into the voters roll, you can participate and contest for a council or MP seat,” said Ndondo.
She also encouraged villagers to take advantage of the voter registration blitz second phase which will run from April 10 – 30 and reminded then to carry necessary documents needed in the voter registration process.
“Let us all take advantage of the registration blitz that is coming on the 10th to the 30th of April as the people who can assist you will be at your door step.
“The only things needed when registering to vote are your national Identity card or a valid passport and proof of residence but if you do not have the proof of residence, you can go and see the councilor or come straight to the center, there will be affidavits waiting for you,” said Ndondo.
Community Tolerance Reconciliation Development (COTRAD) Programmes Officer Ishmael Kupfuwa said they are engaging in the voter education process so that people would know how important it is to register to vote and also urged other stakeholders to partake in voter education.
“We are educating and encouraging people to vote and also I urge other stakeholders to participate in voter education so that citizens and first time voters really have adequate information about the voter registration process,” said Kupfuwa.
Larmeck Zimudza a participant at the event applauded the work that COTRAD and ZEC were doing as it is giving them much knowledge about voter registration.
“We really want to thank COTRAD and ZEC with the kind gesture they are showing to us. Many people did not know much about voting but they are really helping us in all what we need to know and I want to thank for that,” said Zimudza.
However, Alice Munodawafa, a first time aspiring voter said they find it hard to secure national Identity cards having been turned back a number of times as the number the registrar’s office is taking a day would be enough.
“The challenge that we are facing is that we are being turned back home without national Identity Cards and that is affecting us in the voter registration process and also the amount that they want is hard to find as they want the ZW $2 and ZW$5 dollar notes instead of ZW$ 20 and ZW $ 50 dollar notes saying they do not have change,” said Munodawafa.

Fredrick Moyo

Three candidates are vying for the sole ticket for Masvingo Urban ward 3 councillorship in the March 26 by-elections after successfully filing their nomination papers in January.
CCC will be represented by Roki Kamuzonda, with former councillor for the area Tarusenga Vembo representing MDC-Alliance that ‘mistakenly’ recalled him while Zanu-PF will be represented by Taurai Mudzviti.

Taurai Mudzviti – ZANU PF

Mudzviti popularly known as Bucho said he was born and bred in ward 3. He said this is not the first time he has contested as he once did so in Zanu-PF 2018 primary elections though he lost to the other contender.
“I was born and bred in ward 3 which I am representing in the upcoming by-elections and I have been in constant touch with that ward. I was born in ZANU PF and I have been rising through the ranks and in 2018 I participated in the primary elections which I lost to Allan Sibanda.
“As a person who was born in ward 3, I go back and check if my brothers and sisters or even the elders are having any challenges and help them,” said Mudzviti.
He added that he has programmes that he put in place in the ward and is promising to do more if he is elected.
“I have programmes that I have put in place in ward 3 like sponsoring Mucheke social league meant to keep people busy and out of harmful substances like drugs. I have also been involved in rehabilitation of some boreholes so that people have clean water.
“The other challenge is that children in ward 3 are walking long distances to the nearest secondary school, so we want to push council to allocate land for us so we build a school in that area and I am happy with the issue of the clinic so what we want to get in there and push for people in the ward to be employed there and council should allocate us a place where we can build a market place so that people sell their products without fear of being arrested,” said Mudzviti.
He urged the electorate to vote for him as other councillors came in and did not do any development in the ward.
“My message to the electorate is very simple; there are councillors who have been coming and going without any development in the ward and most of them are taking advantage of the electorate when they forget to represent the people who voted for them,” said Mudzviti.

Tarusenga Vembo – MDC A

Vembo said he was born and raised in Gutu under Chief Makore and started politics in 2016 and later in 2018, he was elected ward 3 councillor. He said he joined politics because he wanted change in Zimbabwe.
“I believe that I will still be the councillor because l know my community still needs me and have been doing good work for them since 2018,” said Vembo.
He added that he cannot judge himself saying he is the best candidate for this post, but the community can judge since they are the ones who see if he had been the best candidate since 2018.
“I cannot say I am the best, for the community is there to judge I cannot judge myself. I have been their councillor since 2018 so the community knows if I am the best for them or not or if they need me to continue or not,” added Vembo.
He said getting into office will give him a chance to further push for the development of his community since Ward 3 was known for its backwardness as compared to other Masvingo urban wards.
“Ward 3 had about three or four councillors from MDC Alliance before me but they did not manage to develop the community well. When I was elected, I managed to build a clinic, maintained the drainage system, built shops and spearheaded road maintenance works.
“My only wish is that if I get this post again, I want to finish what I started because of my great ideas of developing because it was a backward ward as compared to other Masvingo urban wards,” said Vembo.

Roki Kamuzonda – CCC

Kamuzonda said residents in ward 3 are the ones who selected him to be their representative because they saw what he was doing in the ward before he was even a candidate.
“People selected me to be their representative in the upcoming by-elections because they saw the works that I performed way beforeI was even a candidate because I would help or assist anyone who needs my help,” said Kamuzonda.
He added that he thinks that he is the ideal candidate because he stays in the ward and knows challenges people in ward 3 are facing.
“I think I am the best candidate because I stay in ward 3 and I know each and every corner in there including the challenges people are facing. I also visit marginalized people in my ward and assist them with whatever I have,” said Kamuzonda.
He said that there are some projects that he did before he even thought of becoming a councillor and will also push for other projects when elected.
“There are some projects which I pushed before I even thought of becoming a councillor that include a playing ground for children, a car park and also help whenever ward 3 people face water challenges. I used my personal car to go and collect water tanks so that ward 3 people have clean water.
“When elected I will also push all the projects that I promised people when campaigning that include constructing a footbridge and also road rehabilitations and addressing water challenges,” said Kamuzonda.

Fredrick Moyo

Election Resource Centre (ERC) and Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) have called for Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to release detailed statistics on the first phase of voter registration blitz and also provide an accurate list of registration centres in advance.
In a statement, ERC and ZESN said they monitored the first phase of the blitz and will do so in the second phase in a move to ensure the BVR blitz is transparent, inclusive and accountable as well as following regional and international best practices.
“ERC and ZESN call upon the ZEC to release detailed statistics on phase 1 of the voter registration blitz, that include number of individuals registered per day per registration centre broken down by gender and including the number of persons with disabilities.
“This information should be readily available; such information is routinely provided by credible Elections Management Bodies (EMBs); and doing so in line with the best principles of open election data,” read part of the statement.
They went on to say that without this information people cannot see if the blitz meet their expectations and also urged ZEC to provide clear and accurate information about the upcoming second voter registration blitz.
“Without this information, Zimbabweans cannot determine for themselves if phase 1 of the voter registration blitz has met their expectations or whether additional opportunities are needed to ensure all eligible Zimbabweans have a meaningful opportunity to newly register or update their registration information.
“ERC and ZESN make the following recommendations for phase two: provide an accurate list of registration centres and dates well in advance of phase 2 so voters, political parties, civic organisations and observers can effectively participate in the process and beyond these recommendations, voter education is also urgently needed to make it clear to Zimbabweans that they do not only have until 30 April 2022 to register to vote,” added part of the joint statement.
ZEC will carry out another voter registration exercise that will run from April 10-30, 2022, in a bid to help those in marginalized communities to register to vote as they will be visiting each constituency and ward.

Melinda Kusemachibi

Election Resource Centre (ERC) has issued a statement urging the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to shun perpetrating violence towards opposition party activists conducting their campaigns ahead of the March 26 by-elections.
In a statement ERC said they have noted with great concern that police oppression has become rampant.
“The Election Resource Centre has noted with grave concern the rising levels of police led oppression and intimidation which are characterizing political and campaign activities ahead of the 2022 by-elections,” read part of the statement.
ERC said that there is abuse of the law as they (police officers) deny Citizens Coalition for Change and its candidates from conducting their campaigns.
“Incidents of what appear to be systematic abuse of the law to deny the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and candidates the opportunity to campaign in line with section 67 of the constitution have been reported over the past few weeks,” added the statement.
The ERC statement also highlighted that the police should protect human and electoral rights not to breach the law.
“The protection of human and electoral rights is part and parcel of the exercise of police functions under section 219 (1) (e) of the constitution. Police officers are the first line of defense in the protection of political rights especially in light of the upcoming by-elections and must conduct themselves in a manner that promotes credible elections,” the statement read.
ERC also said ZRP should ensure that the country remains devoted to being multiparty democratic state.
“ERC calls on the ZRP to ensure that the country remains committed to multiparty democracy and should refrain from exercising their powers in a manner that undermines the conditions conducive to open participation, free and fair elections,” added the statement.
The election watchdog urged ZEC to punish those that violates the terms of democratic process of free and fair elections.
“The ERC additionally calls on ZEC to condemn in the strongest possible terms all conduct and behavior that undermines our democratic processes of free and fair elections,” read the statement.
Recently, police in Gokwe used water cannons, teargas and batons to disperse a gathering of CCC supporters and in Kwekwe a CCC supporter was stabbed to death while others were injured when suspected armed ZANU PF activists stormed a rally at Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre.
Former Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze and other CCC Masvingo urban members were arrested for conducting door to door campaigns during the weekend of March 12 and 13, a few weeks after Ward 7 and Ward 4 CCC candidates Richard Musekiwa and Aleck Tabe were also arrested for the same offence.