Knowledge Mhlanga
CHIPINGE – Losing candidates who participated in MDC-T primary elections held on Sunday, May 20 at Pfidza Township, Ward 17, Chipinge East, described the process, which saw some candidates pulling out of the race as unfair.
Ward 17 councillor, Fordwell Hlatshwayo, who contested for the parliamentary slot, pulled out of the race together with council candidate Panganai Dibi, claiming that there were several irregularities engineered by rival, Mathius Mlambo.
“We withdrew from the race and it went on without us participating because we noticed several irregularities. For instance, Mlambo bussed people from Ward 12 to come and vote in Ward 17.
“An eight tone truck came and offloaded unfamiliar faces five times and those people took part in the voting process. The rules are that there should be no singing, slogan-chanting and noise within a 300 metre distance from the voting centre, but Mlambo’s supporters brought speakers and microphones and made scenes at the centre.
“We will not accept the results of those primaries since they are not a genuine reflection of the will of the people,” said a bitter Hlatshwayo.
Dibi also told iTell News that there was foul play in the elections, claiming Mlambo connived with another aspiring female council candidate to rig elections through the imposition of candidates.
Out of a total of 345 votes cast in Ward 17, Mlambo got 339 votes, Hlatshwayo got six. In Ward 12, Mlambo got 32 votes while Hlatshwayo did not get even a single vote.
In elections to select council candidates, a total of 322 votes were cast with one Mrs Maga getting
302 while Mafunde and Dibi got 12 and 5 votes respectively.local
