CommuTalk Reporters
GWERU: A dog eat dog affair has emerged as ZANU PF goes for the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections this weekend with reports indicating that the party has not made public the final list of those who made it leaving aspiring candidates battling to win the people support.
The failure to publish the final list has left those who made it in the initial list still battling for control of the party’s powerful organ where candidates feel the power of being elected as opposed to being co-opted where they end up playing lapdogs of the appointing authority.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the party’s bigwigs have tactically kept the final list a secret to avoid clashes in the run-up to the polls as those who made it will only be aware on the day of voting.
Zanu PF Midlands Provincial Spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri however told CommuTalk that the final list is expected anytime and also pointed that the road to the elections is smooth so far.
“The final list is not yet here but we are expecting it anytime soon. The road to elections is also smooth and we are looking forward to holding a successful election,” he said.
In the Midlands province, the terrain has been hot as bitter rivals have been mud-slinging as they are geared to discredit their political foes all in a bid to control the mineral rich province.
In Kwekwe, gloves are off between Kandros Mugabe and one supposed Alshabaab leader Tapuwa Muto.
Insiders say the party’s Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo and State security Minister Owen Ncube are fighting in Muto’s corner while Defence Deputy Minister and the party’s political commissar Victor Matemadanda is said to be fighting in Mugabe’s corner.
Mugabe is also reportedly linked to First Lady Auxillia Mnangwagwa and sources say he was instrumental in financing her campaign for the Chirumanzu Zibagwe seat when she became a legislator and of late a big funder for her Angel of hope foundation.
“How can people support Mugabe a known G40 functionary who is only trying to jump ship now. Mugabe was supping with the same people who worked against our President Mnangagwa and of late he is trying by all means to appear to be on our side. This will not end well…” fumed an unnamed Muto sympathiser.
“Well we know the people who are destroying ZANU PF through gossip and name dropping. They have always tried to impose their preferred candidates but to what end. In the primary elections leading to the harmonised elections their preferred candidate lost elections and they ended up backing an independent candidate.
“Kandros was being denied resources and now they are at it again. When will they end their imposition approach through their ‘chinhu chedu’ mantra…” said a Mugabe loyalist who also refused to be named.
Mugabe is also locked in a fierce primary election with Ncube’s cousin Energy Dhala Ncube to replace NPF’s Masango Matambanadzo who died in July.
Several Ncube loyalists have since been arrested ostensibly at the instigation of Matemadanda after violence erupted forcing the primary elections that were scheduled for October to be cancelled.
In Gweru, some party loyalists are questioning the wisdom of allowing prominent lawyer Forward Gundu to run on the secretary for legal affairs post due to his business association.
Gundu shares the office with MDC-A legislator Brian Dube in Gundu, Dube and Pamacheche Legal Practitioners.
“Surely how can our secrets as a party be safe when we are allowing people who a supping with our political foes to run for the legal office? This must be the joke of the century. His loyalty to the party has always been questionable. Its known that some lawyers have caused problems in different political movements due to their love for money.
“What will make him a different breed when he might be already benefiting from MDC clients. The President said we should weed out elements who have questionable backgrounds but here we are. We are certainly doomed to think this is a guy we can put our trust on…” said one party loyalist who refused to be named.
Gundu denied to comment on questions asked to him and suggested that interviews be done after the electionwhen he was contacted for comment.
“I cannot be commenting on this. It will be well if you contact me after the elections lest I get mis-quoted,” said Gundu.
Gundu’s biggest contender is former Gweru Prosecutor Namatirai Chipere who had to resign from her post after the JSC raised a red flag on its serving members participating in politics which is ultra-virus to the constitution.
Another area of contestation in the Midlands Province was the exclusion of Gokwe Mapfungautsi sitting MP Tawanda Karikoga’s name in the initial list which came from the politburo.
The Kwekwe cabal supposedly led by Minister Ncube was furious at Matemadanda accusing the commissar of trying to impose their preferred candidate for fear of the influence of Karikoga.
Karikoga was disqualified after he was said to have stayed for too long in South Africa where he has some business interests due to COVID 19 but his loyalists questioned why the party’s Secretary for Information Khaya Moyo and Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi failed to face the same fate.
Reports indicate that the provincial secretaries for administration have since received names for the people who qualified to participate in the DCCs but have shelved to announce them until the last minute.
The DDC elections had to go ahead this year in fulfilment of the party’s 2019 conference resolution after the late former President of the party Robert Mugabe dissolved them in 2012 citing the structures as the root of divisions in the faction ridden party.
