2 000 vie for CCC Parly seats

A RECORD of 2 000 candidates are set to slug it out for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party's parliamentary tickets in this year's general election, NewsDay reported.

This came out during the party's candidates nomination exercise where 30 000 candidates were also nominated to fight for local authority seats.

The CCC began nominating its candidates last week, with an independent candidate selection panel (ICSP) led by human rights campaigner Rashid Mahiya overseeing the process.

Addressing journalists in Harare yeasterday, the party's ICSP spokesperson Shepard Ngandu said the candidate selection process received overwhelming support with the nominees now undergoing a vetting process.

"Nelson Chamisa has been nominated as the presidential candidate by all streets and villages whose returns are in our possession," Ngandu said.

"For the women and youth nomination also ICSP is yet to finalise its tally; indications are that an unprecedented number of women have been nominated. The youth factor is another exciting and emerging aspect of the nomination process outcome which is positive in ensuring intergenerational... within CCC."

CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba said party bigwigs such as Tendai Biti, Job Sikhala, Fadzayi Mahere and Joanna Mamombe stand to qualify despite convictions and pending court cases.

"This process is not intending to target people (who) have been convicted through persecution by prosecution.

"This is a security vetting of one's credentials. We broadly belong to the democratictradition and the democratic family. These are security issues that must be looked for," Siziba said.