Cops implicated in Zanu-PF DCC election rigging

POLICE officers have been implicated in the Zanu-PF district co-ordinating committees (DCC) election rigging scandals in Mutoko East with allegations that they were paid to vote as party members.

In a WhatsApp audio circulating on social media, a female candidate narrated how some police officers were busted and they eventually admitted that they were ordered to cast a number of ballot papers in favour of Richard Musiyiwa (Mutoko East MP) who is eyeing the Mutoko district chairmanship post.

Musiyiwa's rival for the post is businessman Zano Kahuni.

NewsDay was reliably informed that chaos erupted on Monday afternoon as members demanded transparency on how the elections were conducted.

"I asked Musiyiwa how the ballot papers totalled 120 while each polling station was allocated 92 of them. A police officer has agreed that he was ordered to manipulate the results. There is need for the Mutoko East DCC election to be declared null and void," the candidate can be heard saying in the audio.

"Zanu-PF is being dragged to the dustbin. If President Emmerson Mnangagwa loves us, he must send someone to put order in this area, otherwise in 2023 it will be chaos. About 40 youths were expected to vote in this election, but we are having results of the winner having 77 votes. Moreover, a total of 40 women were expected to vote in the women's league, but the winner is emerging with 66 votes. This is chaotic."

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza said he could not comment as he was not on duty yesterday.

In Goromonzi, some party officials reportedly fled with ballot boxes while some disgruntled members inscribed the name of their candidate Bornface Mutize on the ballot papers as it was missing.

In Wedza district, Zarnet boss Casper Chigwedere, who is the son of party stalwart Aeneas Chigwedere, made it into the DCC team.