Zanu-PF Politburo to vet aspiring candidates

Zanu-PF provinces have submitted curricula vitae of all aspiring candidates and the party's Politburo is meeting in Harare today to deliberate on the submissions ahead of the May 5 primary elections. Some provinces had reportedly disqualified thousands of aspiring candidates, a preserve of the revolutionary party's National Elections Directorate.

The party leadership then ordered provincial chairpersons to accept all CVs and only make recommendations. Zanu-PF secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu yesterday said today's special Politburo meeting would deal with primary elections.

"The provinces have heeded the call and we have received all the submissions," he said.

"Tomorrow (today) we are having a meeting to deal with those issues." Chancers and infiltrators, Dr Mpofu said, had no place in Zanu-PF.

"We hope the provinces have done a good job and we will assess what they have done before taking any appropriate decisions," he said.

"Hopefully, the CVs they have brought are those of members of the party and those who meet the criteria. The final decision on who qualifies and who does not qualify will be made by the party headquarters not district nor the province."

Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons interviewed yesterday confirmed they had included every aspiring candidate on their lists.

"We submitted all CVs it is only that our social media is polluted with liars," said Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi.

"As a province we were screening to see if what an aspiring candidate has written is correct and we put comments. Where we had reservations or grey areas, we highlighted that and we even submitted those CVs of aspiring candidates who outrightly did not meet the criteria. As for who is going to make it or not, it is none of our business."

Mashonaland Central chairperson Kazembe Kazembe said they had made their recommendations.

"We submitted all CVs regardless of whether one had been recommended or not," he said.

"At the risk of marking our own script, we were the most democratic. We did everything transparently. We even photocopied the guidelines and gave all districts copies way before the dates for submission.

"On vetting, we had the guidelines to refer to. I also recused myself from the process and left the venue when four constituencies in Mazowe were being done. The organisation and final submission were done by office staff, the secretaries for administration and security. This explains why Mashonaland Central has by far the least number of complains."

Masvingo chair Ezra Chadzamira said: "We had no problems as a province and we submitted our list long back." Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa weighed in: "Our duty was to receive, vet them and made recommendations.

We submitted all CVs to the National Elections Directorate and we did not remove anyone. We don't have the powers to disqualify candidates."

In Matabeleland North, provincial chairperson Richard Moyo said the province never encountered challenges. "We just submitted everything successfully in Harare and we are now waiting for feedback," he said.

Mashonald East chairperson Joel Biggie Matiza said the province had no disgruntled aspiring candidates.

Among high-profile people who have joined the political fray ahead of the primary elections are Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo, who is eyeing the Mberengwa Senate seat, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira (Gutu North), Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando (Gutu Senatorial seat), ex-Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Callisto Jokonya (Gutu South) and ex-diplomat Ambassador Jonathan Wutaunashe (Gutu South).