…Paves way for Mnangagwa rally
Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – ZANU PF Masvingo province has postponed its watershed Central Committee (CC) elections amid President Mnangagwa’s visit to the province on (Saturday) October 8.
The elections were scheduled to be held on October 8 across all the 10 provinces in the country but Masvingo has since postponed its elections to a day later (Sunday October 9).
The elections are reportedly expected to widen the rift between former Provincial Chairperson and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution who is fronting President Mnangagwa faction and incumbent chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa who is alleged to be loyal to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Mavhenyengwa confirmed the postponement of the elections saying they cannot hold them on a day the party’s president is coming though he said everything is in order for them to be conducted.
“We have moved our elections to Sunday because President Mnangagwa will be in the province in Chiredzi on Saturday, so we cannot conduct elections when the First Secretary of our party is here,” said Mavhenyengwa.
He also said six people from Masvingo have been disqualified though not in a position to disclose their names.
“Preparations for the elections are going on quite smoothly. Only six people out of the number that submitted their CVs will not contest for some different reasons which I am not sure of since the decisions were made at national level,” said Mavhenyengwa.
Sources however said some of the affected six are Masvingo urban ward 10 Councilor Sengerayi Manyanga, Petros Mutema and Provincial deputy secretary for education (women’s league) Mucharevei Chamisa from Masvingo district and Tawedzerwa Masase from Zaka.
Sources allege some had their CVs pulled off by the Provincial Secretary for commissariat Brian Munyoro who is believed to belong to Mavhenyengwa camp as factional wars take centre stage.
“Others like Manyanga’s CVs were pulled out by Munyoro and his team that is why they never reached the national level,” said one source.
contacted for comment, Munyoro said it was not his duty to talk to the media about candidates before refering questions to the provincial party office and the Provincial Chair.
“I dont comment on those issues, the issue of elections doesnt fall under my office, if you want anything go to the party office or call the chairperson,” said Munyoro
Big names in the province running for CC posts include Chadzamira and Edmund Mhere for Masvingo district, Bikita has Engelbert Rugeje and Davies Marapira in Zaka among others.
Sources said President Mnangagwa will be presiding over a ‘thank you rally’ at Uswaushava in Chiredzi North Constituency where he got the highest number of votes during 2018 elections.
Mnangagwa’s visit is expected to boost Chadzamira camp’s chances as most district team cards were divided on loyalty to the two.
“We have been requesting for the President to come to Masvingo. He failed to come for the rural poultry programme launch so he is covering up for that now because Masvingo wants to interact with him. He however decided to go to Chiredzi North since that is the constituency where he got more votes in the whole country,” said a source.
Masvingo province has been one of the breeding grounds for political upheaval in most political parties even as witnessed during the era of former president the late Robert Mugabe as factional wars heightened.