News / National
Zanu-PF shuts out Jonathan Moyo, Philip Chiyangwa
10 Jun 2013 at 06:20hrs | Views
FORMER Information minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and other Zanu-PF "prodigal sons" will have to pray for the party's benevolence to stand as candidates in the forthcoming elections as regulations that were recently drafted by the politburo state that one must have been a party member for five years to be eligible.
Zanu-PF meets this week to finalise its guidelines for primary elections, but a draft leaked to our sister paper Southern Eye at the weekend shows that Moyo's stint as MP for Tsholotsho North might be coming to an end.
According to section 8.4 of the draft titled Qualifications for candidates in Local Authority and National Assembly elections, no member of the party shall qualify to stand as a candidate unless one "has served in the party as an office bearer in any of the structures of the party for a cumulative period of at least five years prior to the primary elections".
Moyo was only readmitted into the party at the end of 2009 after he was expelled in 2005 for defying a party directive to pave way for a female candidate in Tsholotsho.
Any aspiring candidate must also be "a fully paid-up member of the party, have adequate political, economic, cultural and social knowledge of Zimbabwean affairs to enable him to contribute meaningfully to debates in the institution which he has become a member (and) is a good person of character."
Moyo contested the 2008 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate before rejoining Zanu-PF in 2009.
A fortnight ago, Zanu-PF said the regulations were 95% complete with the only outstanding issue being the female candidates' quota.
However, there were reports divisions had emerged over attempts to bar the so-called Young Turks from challenging the old guard.
There were also claims that senior Zanu-PF leaders were eager to prevent those who they described as disloyal from standing on the party ticket.
Last year when it first emerged that the Zanu-PF old guard was sweating to sideline aspiring candidates who had recently been readmitted after some years in the cold for various transgressions, Moyo said the party would bend the rules for him.
He was quoted by online publications saying: "The fact is that all rules have exceptions in order to avoid breaking because a rule or ruler that does not bend breaks!"
Moyo was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Another casualty could be Phillip Chiyangwa, who is eyeing a seat in Chinhoyi. Chiyangwa was frozen out of Zanu-PF after he participated in the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration where party chairpersons were accused of plotting to topple Mugabe.
Those disqualified by the regulations on account of years served would have to plead their cases to Zanu-PF's national elections directorate, the document says.
The requirement will only be waived if the aspiring candidate "is known to be a fervent, consistent and active supporter of the party and the party's aims and objectives as spelt out in Article 2 of the constitution and has been a member of the party for a period of not less than five years".
The national elections directorate is chaired by Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo who might decide Moyo's fate.
Recently, Baba Jukwa, the faceless Facebook character that is giving Zanu-PF and security agents sleepless nights, has predicted the fall of former Information minister Jonathan Moyo in Tsholotsho and Kembo Mohadi in Beitbridge, noting Obert Mpofu would retain his constituency.
The faceless character also said Zanu-PF was not prepared for the coming elections.
"Don't be confused by charlatans with double speak. My [Zanu-PF] party is not even prepared. In some constituencies, we don't have even aspiring candidates," said Baba Jukwa.
"My party is grappling with its total collapse in seven of the 10 provinces. The rules to govern our primary elections are not even ready and we are hoping to start deliberating on them at next Wednesday's politburo meeting."
Baba Jukwa said Zanu-PF's headache was the impending defeat in all parliamentary seats in Manicaland, Harare, Masvingo, Midlands and the three Matabeleland provinces.
He claimed that in the Midlands Province, Zanu-PF will win some seats in Gokwe and two in Mberengwa and Emmerson Mnangagwa's Chirumanzu-Zibangwe constituencies.
Baba Jukwa predicted the fall of former Information minister Jonathan Moyo in Tsholotsho and Kembo Mohadi in Beitbridge, noting Obert Mpofu would retain his constituency.
"So until such a time when my party finds a strategy to negotiate itself out [of] this glaring challenge, they will also drag elections," said Baba Jukwa.
"So rather than for Morgan Tsvangirai to insist on election postponement, this is [the] time to pounce when the enemy is limping and in total disarray."
In his own words, he said: "It is about my party's impending defeat in all parliamentary seats in Manicaland, Harare, Masvingo, Midlands and the 3 Matabeleland provinces. The intelligence barometer shows that in the Midlands Province, we will only retain some seats in the Gokwes and we will win two in Mberengwa and Emmerson Mnangagwa's Chirumanzu-Zibangwe Constituencies. All others are gone. In Masvingo, my party will get 2 seats in Chiredzi and other 2 in Mwenezi and will lose in Masvingo South of Walter Mzembi, all the Chivi Constituencies, will also loose Gutu West and Masvingo North. In Matabeleland, only Obert Mpofu will retain his Constituency. Jonathan Moyo is gone in Tsholotsho, Kembo Mohadi is finished in Beitbridge, Gwanda South is gone, Bubi is gone, Lupane South is gone. Welshman Ncube is going to win a third of all the total seats in the Matabeleland provinces which will translate to 15 seats. The party is only remained with the three Mashonaland Provinces where it will fair extremely well and retain some of the seats it lost in the previous elections like Bindura South and the other one in Mazowe. In Chinhoyi, Phillip Chiyangwa has become a game changer with his money. He will cause an upset because his machinery is well oiled with a huge financial backup."
"So until such time when my party finds a strategy to negotiate itself out this glaring challenge, they will also drag elections. So rather than for Morgan Tsvangirai to insist on election postponement, this is time to pounce when the enemy is limping and in total disarray. This know they will be knocked in the first round. Some are bitterly angry against Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku for delivering that judgment. If elections are called tomorrow, my party is history as per the intelligence barometer as of today."
Zanu-PF meets this week to finalise its guidelines for primary elections, but a draft leaked to our sister paper Southern Eye at the weekend shows that Moyo's stint as MP for Tsholotsho North might be coming to an end.
According to section 8.4 of the draft titled Qualifications for candidates in Local Authority and National Assembly elections, no member of the party shall qualify to stand as a candidate unless one "has served in the party as an office bearer in any of the structures of the party for a cumulative period of at least five years prior to the primary elections".
Moyo was only readmitted into the party at the end of 2009 after he was expelled in 2005 for defying a party directive to pave way for a female candidate in Tsholotsho.
Any aspiring candidate must also be "a fully paid-up member of the party, have adequate political, economic, cultural and social knowledge of Zimbabwean affairs to enable him to contribute meaningfully to debates in the institution which he has become a member (and) is a good person of character."
Moyo contested the 2008 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate before rejoining Zanu-PF in 2009.
A fortnight ago, Zanu-PF said the regulations were 95% complete with the only outstanding issue being the female candidates' quota.
However, there were reports divisions had emerged over attempts to bar the so-called Young Turks from challenging the old guard.
There were also claims that senior Zanu-PF leaders were eager to prevent those who they described as disloyal from standing on the party ticket.
Last year when it first emerged that the Zanu-PF old guard was sweating to sideline aspiring candidates who had recently been readmitted after some years in the cold for various transgressions, Moyo said the party would bend the rules for him.
He was quoted by online publications saying: "The fact is that all rules have exceptions in order to avoid breaking because a rule or ruler that does not bend breaks!"
Moyo was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Another casualty could be Phillip Chiyangwa, who is eyeing a seat in Chinhoyi. Chiyangwa was frozen out of Zanu-PF after he participated in the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration where party chairpersons were accused of plotting to topple Mugabe.
Those disqualified by the regulations on account of years served would have to plead their cases to Zanu-PF's national elections directorate, the document says.
The requirement will only be waived if the aspiring candidate "is known to be a fervent, consistent and active supporter of the party and the party's aims and objectives as spelt out in Article 2 of the constitution and has been a member of the party for a period of not less than five years".
The national elections directorate is chaired by Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo who might decide Moyo's fate.
Recently, Baba Jukwa, the faceless Facebook character that is giving Zanu-PF and security agents sleepless nights, has predicted the fall of former Information minister Jonathan Moyo in Tsholotsho and Kembo Mohadi in Beitbridge, noting Obert Mpofu would retain his constituency.
The faceless character also said Zanu-PF was not prepared for the coming elections.
"Don't be confused by charlatans with double speak. My [Zanu-PF] party is not even prepared. In some constituencies, we don't have even aspiring candidates," said Baba Jukwa.
"My party is grappling with its total collapse in seven of the 10 provinces. The rules to govern our primary elections are not even ready and we are hoping to start deliberating on them at next Wednesday's politburo meeting."
Baba Jukwa said Zanu-PF's headache was the impending defeat in all parliamentary seats in Manicaland, Harare, Masvingo, Midlands and the three Matabeleland provinces.
He claimed that in the Midlands Province, Zanu-PF will win some seats in Gokwe and two in Mberengwa and Emmerson Mnangagwa's Chirumanzu-Zibangwe constituencies.
Baba Jukwa predicted the fall of former Information minister Jonathan Moyo in Tsholotsho and Kembo Mohadi in Beitbridge, noting Obert Mpofu would retain his constituency.
"So until such a time when my party finds a strategy to negotiate itself out [of] this glaring challenge, they will also drag elections," said Baba Jukwa.
"So rather than for Morgan Tsvangirai to insist on election postponement, this is [the] time to pounce when the enemy is limping and in total disarray."
In his own words, he said: "It is about my party's impending defeat in all parliamentary seats in Manicaland, Harare, Masvingo, Midlands and the 3 Matabeleland provinces. The intelligence barometer shows that in the Midlands Province, we will only retain some seats in the Gokwes and we will win two in Mberengwa and Emmerson Mnangagwa's Chirumanzu-Zibangwe Constituencies. All others are gone. In Masvingo, my party will get 2 seats in Chiredzi and other 2 in Mwenezi and will lose in Masvingo South of Walter Mzembi, all the Chivi Constituencies, will also loose Gutu West and Masvingo North. In Matabeleland, only Obert Mpofu will retain his Constituency. Jonathan Moyo is gone in Tsholotsho, Kembo Mohadi is finished in Beitbridge, Gwanda South is gone, Bubi is gone, Lupane South is gone. Welshman Ncube is going to win a third of all the total seats in the Matabeleland provinces which will translate to 15 seats. The party is only remained with the three Mashonaland Provinces where it will fair extremely well and retain some of the seats it lost in the previous elections like Bindura South and the other one in Mazowe. In Chinhoyi, Phillip Chiyangwa has become a game changer with his money. He will cause an upset because his machinery is well oiled with a huge financial backup."
"So until such time when my party finds a strategy to negotiate itself out this glaring challenge, they will also drag elections. So rather than for Morgan Tsvangirai to insist on election postponement, this is time to pounce when the enemy is limping and in total disarray. This know they will be knocked in the first round. Some are bitterly angry against Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku for delivering that judgment. If elections are called tomorrow, my party is history as per the intelligence barometer as of today."
Source - newsday
