Chamisa on party candidates

CITIZENS Coalition for Change interim leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa took an indirect swipe at his deputy Professor Welshman Ncube when he hinted that in any upcoming elections he will sideline party structures and processes to sign off all participating candidates.

This comes as the party continues to be engulfed in the problem of double candidacy where in Bulawayo's ward 26 the party is fielding two candidates - Alderman Norman Hlabani and Mr Mpumelelo Moyo for the 26 March by-elections.

Prof Ncube has been reportedly fingered in the issue where it is alleged he signed nomination papers for Mr Moyo, while others were signed by the party's elections committee.

Addressing party supporters at White City stadium in Bulawayo yesterday, Mr Chamisa said he will personally be responsible for signing off all candidates.

"I want to apologise, there was a mishap in one of the wards (in Bulawayo) where there was double candidacy, it will never happen again.

How is it not going to happen again? I will be signing off all the candidates to make sure that we do not have any of the problems that we had," said Mr Chamisa.

However, a few minutes after this declaration by the party leader, the double candidacy would come back to haunt the party rally, after both candidates for ward 26 went to the stage when Mr Chamisa had said he wanted to introduce the party's candidates for the upcoming elections.

Former Bulawayo deputy mayor, Mr Tinashe Kambarami had to rush to the stage to whisk off both candidates to save Mr Chamisa from the impending embarrassment.

Mr Chamisa, in his address further gave a hint towards the party wanting to take on board other opposition political parties as they forge ahead.

He claimed that during the Inclusive Government when he was Minister of Information and Communications Technology, he was "responsible for citizens in the country now managing to own mobile phones".

He went on to promise his supporters policies like decentralisation and infrastructural development, which however, have already been pursued by the ruling Zanu-PF government.

Mr Chamisa, who has continuously seen negatives in the Government and the ruling party, had rare nice sentiments to say on the country's Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who last Friday addressed a Zanu-PF rally in Pumula suburb, Bulawayo.

"I heard VP Chiwenga yesterday (Friday) saying no to political violence, that is the way to go, that is a man among men," said Mr Chamisa.