News / National
Chaos, vote-rigging mar Zanu-PF elections
08 Aug 2014 at 09:59hrs | Views
Allegations of vote-buying, kidnapping and rigging have marred the build-up to the ruling Zanu-PF women's league elective congress set for next Friday.
The congress would take place a week after the party's youth congress that roars into life today.
The two congresses would feed into the main elective congress set for December where two distinct factions, one allegedly led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and another by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, are reportedly jostling to land influential positions in anticipation of eventually succeeding veteran nationalist, President Robert Mugabe.
There has been jostling and horse-trading for central committee positions on factional lines in the two leagues, with some members eyeing politburo positions at the December elective congress.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration, and also Presidential Affairs minister, Didymus Mutasa, was on Wednesday fingered as being behind alleged chaotic scenes that characterised women's league Manicaland elections.
Zanu-PF insiders told The Zimbabwe Mail that former deputy Labour minister and Manicaland Senator, Monica Mutsvangwa, one of the frontrunners to be nominated to the party's central committee, was alleged "shut" out of the race by a "brutal response from Mutasa" for reportedly backing First Lady Grace Mugabe to assume the leadership of the women's league.
"People who make the electoral college were literally kidnapped, taken into safe houses, lodges and hotels and barricaded away from the contestants, except for those aligned to Mutasa and his coterie of hangers on," one of the insiders claimed. "There was no election in Manicaland, it was a selection of the central committee led by Mutasa. Mutasa brought all his might as the fourth most powerful person in the party to bear on the electorate of 399 women."
Mutsvangwa alleged that Mutasa was behind the alleged manipulation of the vote.
"No matter what they do, I will stick to the First Lady and this retribution by Mutasa and his gang is like a badge of honour," Mutsvangwa said. "That was far from being an election and we will fight on."
But Mutasa dismissed the allegations as "nonsense from a mad woman".
"Who is saying that? It is Monica? That woman is crazy. The last time, you people wrote a story saying she had threatened to deal with me," Mutasa said. "Now the people who read the story have dealt with her, she must learn to respect her elders."
He denied meddling in the polls.
"I was busy with politburo and central committee meetings and had no time to meddle in women's issues," Mutasa added.
He accused Mutsvangwa of having been guilty of "campaigning all over Manicaland, even away from her home area".
Mutare South lawmaker Nyasha Chikwinya came out as the leading candidate after defeating Mutsvangwa. She would be joined in the central committee by Agatha Mugomba, while Alice Mutindori and Janet Mabuto would be deputies in the women's league.
Mutasa and Mutsvangwa have been at each other's throats since the Manicaland Senator lost the provincial chairperson's position to John Mvundura last year. She accused the party administration secretary of "male chauvinism".
In Harare, Albertina Bwititi swept aside Omega Hungwe's challenge by 116 voted against 72 in a peaceful poll held at Mbare's Mai Misodzi Hall. Hungwe lost again to Agnes Musarurwa and Mary Chatibura, while the second most popular candidate was Eva Chanetsa.
Reports from Gweru late yesterday indicated the elections were being held under a tense atmosphere with one district from Shurugwi having failed to vote over protests of irregularities by some candidates.
Over the weekend, Cabinet Flora Buka was accused of kidnapping a group of women meant to vote in the Midlands provincial elections. She vehemently denied the allegations. However, Buka lost to Esrina Nhari by a slender margin of 209 to 215.
In Mashonaland West, where First Lady Grace Mugabe is supposed to be nominated a central committee member, but in the provincial polls Hurungwe East legislator Sarah Mahoka came up tops.
The elections in Matabeleland South were also marred by chaos, according to insiders, in an election that saw, Abigail Damasane polled 104 votes beating Tambudzani Mohadi wife to Home Affairs Minister Kembo, who garnered a paltry 30 votes to take up the leading post in the province.
From Matabeleland North Doni Sibanda, former provincial governor Thokozile Mathuthu, Musa Ncube and Veronica Munkuli won the right to represent the province.
Results from Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Masvingo were outstanding, while in Bulawayo, Eunice Moyo would lead the provincial pack of four women who also included Judith Ncube, Esnath Moyo and Rose Phiri to the Harare conference next week.
The women's conference would follow the youth league's that would conclude at the weekend with the election deputy secretary.
The congress would take place a week after the party's youth congress that roars into life today.
The two congresses would feed into the main elective congress set for December where two distinct factions, one allegedly led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and another by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, are reportedly jostling to land influential positions in anticipation of eventually succeeding veteran nationalist, President Robert Mugabe.
There has been jostling and horse-trading for central committee positions on factional lines in the two leagues, with some members eyeing politburo positions at the December elective congress.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration, and also Presidential Affairs minister, Didymus Mutasa, was on Wednesday fingered as being behind alleged chaotic scenes that characterised women's league Manicaland elections.
Zanu-PF insiders told The Zimbabwe Mail that former deputy Labour minister and Manicaland Senator, Monica Mutsvangwa, one of the frontrunners to be nominated to the party's central committee, was alleged "shut" out of the race by a "brutal response from Mutasa" for reportedly backing First Lady Grace Mugabe to assume the leadership of the women's league.
"People who make the electoral college were literally kidnapped, taken into safe houses, lodges and hotels and barricaded away from the contestants, except for those aligned to Mutasa and his coterie of hangers on," one of the insiders claimed. "There was no election in Manicaland, it was a selection of the central committee led by Mutasa. Mutasa brought all his might as the fourth most powerful person in the party to bear on the electorate of 399 women."
Mutsvangwa alleged that Mutasa was behind the alleged manipulation of the vote.
"No matter what they do, I will stick to the First Lady and this retribution by Mutasa and his gang is like a badge of honour," Mutsvangwa said. "That was far from being an election and we will fight on."
But Mutasa dismissed the allegations as "nonsense from a mad woman".
"Who is saying that? It is Monica? That woman is crazy. The last time, you people wrote a story saying she had threatened to deal with me," Mutasa said. "Now the people who read the story have dealt with her, she must learn to respect her elders."
He denied meddling in the polls.
He accused Mutsvangwa of having been guilty of "campaigning all over Manicaland, even away from her home area".
Mutare South lawmaker Nyasha Chikwinya came out as the leading candidate after defeating Mutsvangwa. She would be joined in the central committee by Agatha Mugomba, while Alice Mutindori and Janet Mabuto would be deputies in the women's league.
Mutasa and Mutsvangwa have been at each other's throats since the Manicaland Senator lost the provincial chairperson's position to John Mvundura last year. She accused the party administration secretary of "male chauvinism".
In Harare, Albertina Bwititi swept aside Omega Hungwe's challenge by 116 voted against 72 in a peaceful poll held at Mbare's Mai Misodzi Hall. Hungwe lost again to Agnes Musarurwa and Mary Chatibura, while the second most popular candidate was Eva Chanetsa.
Reports from Gweru late yesterday indicated the elections were being held under a tense atmosphere with one district from Shurugwi having failed to vote over protests of irregularities by some candidates.
Over the weekend, Cabinet Flora Buka was accused of kidnapping a group of women meant to vote in the Midlands provincial elections. She vehemently denied the allegations. However, Buka lost to Esrina Nhari by a slender margin of 209 to 215.
In Mashonaland West, where First Lady Grace Mugabe is supposed to be nominated a central committee member, but in the provincial polls Hurungwe East legislator Sarah Mahoka came up tops.
The elections in Matabeleland South were also marred by chaos, according to insiders, in an election that saw, Abigail Damasane polled 104 votes beating Tambudzani Mohadi wife to Home Affairs Minister Kembo, who garnered a paltry 30 votes to take up the leading post in the province.
From Matabeleland North Doni Sibanda, former provincial governor Thokozile Mathuthu, Musa Ncube and Veronica Munkuli won the right to represent the province.
Results from Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Masvingo were outstanding, while in Bulawayo, Eunice Moyo would lead the provincial pack of four women who also included Judith Ncube, Esnath Moyo and Rose Phiri to the Harare conference next week.
The women's conference would follow the youth league's that would conclude at the weekend with the election deputy secretary.
Source - Zim Mail
