A protest vote is looming in President Emmerson Mnangagwa‘s backyard in Midlands where Zanu-PF grassroots are rejecting recently elected party candidates in more than 10 constituencies.
Insiders said a bhora musango/ibhola egangeni was looming in constituencies where Mnangagwa’s allies allegedly hijacked internal processes to deploy their associates to represent the ruling party in the upcoming elections.
Bhora musango was popularised during the 2008 elections where Zanu-PF supporters voted for the ruling party candidates for parliamentary seats while rejecting the late president Robert Mugabe for factional reasons.
Mugabe was almost booted out of power after subsequently losing to the late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the election.
He only survived through a violent campaign ahead of a presidential run-off where he ran unchallenged after Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence against his supporters.
In the latest Zanu-PF internal wars, insiders said the protests in the Midlands were against Mnangagwa’s allies.
According to insiders, there is simmering discontent in the party in the way the primaries were handled where Mnangagwa’s allies held sway on who was to be elected or not.
Sources said Local Government minister July Moyo, former State Security minister Owen Ncube, politburo member Mackenzie Ncube and Tsitsi Muzenda ran rings around the Forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ) and Heritage Trust, who were running the elections.
The FAZ is controlled by the Central Intelligence Organisation while the Heritage Trust is linked to the army.
FAZ, led by CIO deputy director general Walter Tapfumaneyi had the major say in the elections, according to a Zanu-PF internal document titled Talking Points dated March 27.
However, The Standard established that Mnangagwa’s allies in Midlands hijacked the election process from FAZ and Heritage.
It was established that party supporters are not happy with the party’s candidates in Zvishavane, Chirumanzi-Zibagwe, Mkoba South, Mkoba Urban, Vungu, Redcliff-Silobela, Kwekwe Central, Mbizo, Gokwe North , Gokwe-Kana and Gokwe-Chireya.
It is also the same situation in Gokwe South, Shurugwi North, Shurugwi South, Mberengwa and Gokwe Sesame.
“In Zvishavane-Runde, more than 10 districts did not vote because ward 7 councillor Mecky Jaravaza, who is also the district coordinating chairperson (DCC), elbowed out Dumezweni Mawite and declared himself the winner,” an insider said.
“Larry Mavima was also elbowed out by the same DCC.
“In Mberengwa, MPs Marko Raidza and Makhosini Hlongwane were also pushed out because they were not on the July Moyo/Mudha list.
“In Chirumanzi district, Barbara Rwodzi ran the show and videos are there where she was forcing people to vote for her.”
The source added: “In Shurugwi North, the sitting MP Ronald Nyathi was pushed out while in Gweru district where Zanu-PF had one seat, the sitting MP for Vungu constituency, Omega Sibanda, was pushed out after ballot papers were forcibly taken away from a constituency consultant (FAZ member) by a sitting MP from Kwekwe.”
“Brown Ndlovu, who has been a perennial loser in Chiwundura, is now the Vungu constituency candidate.
“In Kwekwe, Manoki Mpofu was pushed out of Silobela constituency for Jona Nyebvera while Energy Dhala Ncube, a nephew of the former State Security minister Owen Ncube was unchallenged in Kwekwe Central.”
This publication heard that Mnangagwa’s allies who ran the show were uncontested in their constituencies.
Source: Bulawayo24
In other news-Muvhango allegedly lied about Chief Azwindini’s exit
The viewers of one of SABC 2 longest-running soapies Muvhango were put through the wringer this past week. This is as the fans of the beloved TshiVenda soapie were tasked with bidding farewell to one of the beloved and longest-running characters in the world of the story as Gabriel Temudzani as Azwindini was marking his exit from the soapie.
As reported following the formal statement by the soapie and the channel:
Gabriel Temudzani…has been with the soapie since 2000 as Azwindini Mukwevho. Introduced as the eldest son of the late chief, for over two decades the county has seen the Chief of Thathe claim, fall from grace and reclaim his chieftaincy. Learn more
