…as top lawyers clash on CCC ticket
Brighton Chiseva
Masvingo City Council Deputy Mayor and ward six councilor Wellington Mahwende has promised to take Masvingo Urban Seat back to Zanu PF.
The seat is currently held by Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s Jacob Nyokanhete who took it on the MDC-Alliance ticket in 2018.
The seat has been changing hands over time between Zanu PF and then main opposition party MDC-T since its creation in the 2007 delimitation exercise.
In 2008 the seat went to MDC’S Tongai Matutu, in 2013 it went to Zanu PF with Daniel Shumba and it went back to opposition in 2018.
People are yet to see if the new outfit and main opposition party CCC will defend their hold on the seat or it will again go back to Zanu PF as per tradition since its creation.
With Zanu PF going on an early primary poll slated for Saturday March 18, Mahwende is likely to battle it out with Harare based businessman James Pande who has been showing interests for some time.
Mahwende, (who is nicknamed Putin) for his aggression in Zanu PF circles, major advantage over Pande is that he is a seasoned and tactful politician who managed to snatch the deputy mayor position from then MDC-Alliance’s seven councilors with only three councilors from Zanu PF.
Mahwende is youthful, has resources for campaigns, knows the terrain well and stands a better chance than his rival. Also being a resident of Masvingo urban and being the deputy Mayor, he understands the needs of Masvingo better than Pande.
In his speech at the official opening of North West Clinic in ward 3 recently Mahwende told Zanu PF Second Secretary Kembo Mohadi that the ruling party was doing tangible projects in the constituency mainly through government’s disbursement of devolution funds which have been used by council on a number of projects.
“We want you to thank the President on our behalf that in Masvingo people are seeing development. We are confident that this year, especially in Masvingo urban, people have seen development being done by Zanu PF, so we promise to fight for this seat (Masvingo Urban) to return to Zanu PF,” Mahwende said.
On the other hand, Pande is both youthful and well-resourced that he can challenge Mahwende. Pande has been doing some charity work and sponsoring sporting events just like Mahwende in Masvingo Urban.
The winner between Mahwende and Pande will have to battle it out with a CCC candidate who would have passed the selection criteria since eight names have reportedly been thrown into the ring.
Eight contenders are said to have shown interest in the seat on CCC ticket, with those including two top lawyers Martin Mureri and Masvingo City Mayor Collen Maboke.
The two are both prominent lawyers with Mureri having stood in ward 8 for the 2018 election and lost to Zanu PF’s Chiteme.
Mureri’s major advantage is that he seems to be party president Nelson Chamisa’s favorite between the two. He recently hosted a press briefing by the party’s national youth boss Takudzwa Ngadziore recently.
Another advantage is that he is a human rights lawyer who has been representing a number of opposition political victims whenever they are arrested.
However, Mureri is said to be too reserved for politics and is also entangled in CCC factional fights, a development which can affect him as it did on former Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze.
Maboke on the other hand has what it takes in terms of charisma, and having been a mayor, he is also a better candidate. Having been born and bred in Mucheke, he resonates well with the ‘ghetto’ where most of his votes come from.
He is known to be an avid soccer fanatic and is always mingling with people, attending every other gathering like funerals especially in Mucheke.
Maboke is also said to be a favorite for people from across the political divide, one of the reasons he won ward 2 having been voted by both Zanu PF and then MDC-Alliance supporters in 2018 on the basis of his background.
Maboke however previously clashed with Nelson Chamisa when he defied him and went on to contest for the mayoral position against Chamisa’s favorite Godfrey Kurauone.
Maboke is alleged to have liaised with Zanu PF councilors who voted for him in exchange for the deputy mayor position which was then given to Mahwende.
He was also alleged to belong to MDC-Alliance led by Douglas Mwonzora, after several attempts by Chamisa to order him to step down as mayor foiled
Other sources however said Maboke and Chamisa smoked a peace pipe some time ago and he could stand for Masvingo Urban with Chamisa’ blessing.
Maboke is also said to have the backup of ward 4 councilor Aleck Tabe who is reportedly pushing him out of council so that he could become Mayor.
Tabe is reported to be very aggressive, with others within the party saying he is power hungry that he can do whatever it takes for him to get what he wants.
Other names linked to the Masvingo Urban seat in CCC are that of ward 7 councilor Richard Musekiwa who is said to be supporting Maboke but on the other hand he still wants the seat and may contest since he is alleged to be losing support in the ward.
Ward 5 councilor Daniel Mberikunashe is also said to be contemplating throwing his hat in the ring. Mberikunashe is a close relative of Chamisa and that could work to his favor.
He however is said to have second thoughts of retaining ward 5 and become the mayor or contest in Gutu. A mature and seasoned politician having served in council for quite some time, Mberikunashe also stands a better chance.
Sam Chapfudza is also eyeing a second come back after having lost as an independent candidate in 2018.
Chapfudza commands a number of supporters especially from vendors having been a vendor himself. He is also said to be a hard worker who at some point pledged his lorry for CCC campaigns especially in Masvingo North.
Two female candidates have also named to having ambitions, namely Shirley Makausi and Margaret Chakabuda, who are said to be eyeing the same seat.
Some local CCC members are alleged to have approached Makausi to stand and it’s not clear if she has interests. Makausi is an administrator par excellence having led Ndarama High School to be the best day school in Masvingo and is also leading one of the best private schools locally. She is also neutral in provincial factional fights and could stand a better chance.
Chakabuda on the other hand is riding on her late husband and former Masvingo Mayor Femius Chakabuda’s popularity. She contested a local authority seat ward 10 in 2018 and lost to Zanu PF’s Sengerai Manyanga.
Another candidate is Michael Taderera who contested in 2018 on National Patriotic Front (NPF) and lost.
Sources within CCC also said some members approached prominent and youthful Medical Doctor Calvin Maimba to stand again and it’s still not clear if he is interested.
