News / Local
Chamisa's CCC bars Chinhoyi Mayor, two councillors from contesting 2023 elections
13 Jun 2023 at 01:36hrs | Views
IN a shocking development, Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) has disqualified Chinhoyi Mayor, Garikai Dendera and two sitting councillors from contesting 2023 harmonised elections on allegations they are MDC president Douglas Mwonzora loyalists.
Sources told NewZimbabwe.com election commissioners dispatched from Harare on Saturday were bearers of sad news that the trio's names, including Ward 13 Councillor, Alderman Blackmore Nyangairo and Ward 10 Councillor Ishmael Madyavanhu, were not on the list of eligible candidates.
No reasons for disqualification were communicated to the three councillors, thereby leaving room for conjecture.
NewZimbabwe.com crew witnessed near-pandemonium at the polling venue at Rusununguko, formerly Ward 13 and now under Ward 10, where supporters loyal to Nyangairo threatened violence against commissioners after they felt hard done by the decision to disqualify their preferred horse.
The situation calmed down moments later after it became apparent the alderman, who has served three consecutive terms, would not be allowed to contest whatsoever.
ln the case of beleaguered mayor Dendera of Ward 5, CCC insiders said besides allegiance to Mwonzora which saved him, and others, from being recalled, he presided over questionable and unpopular decisions by the opposition-dominated council, which could jeopardise CCC president Nelson Chamisa's chances of winning the State presidency.
Instead of pushing populist policies ahead of decisive 2023 harmonised polls, Dendera in his capacity as mayor in 2021 gave the nod to ban farm bricks in housing construction to sail through chambers, sources said.
The municipality had resolved to stop the use of farm bricks in construction effective January 1, 2022, but issued a six months' moratorium on the decision.
The unpopular council resolution sparked an uproar among residents and stakeholders, prompting the same council to rescind the move and extend the effective date to December 31 this year.
Curious too was the recent controversial trip to Nigeria, which Dendera and a female CCC councillor undertook alongside two Zanu-PF-linked councillors, a move that did not sit well with his peers who felt he must have lobbied for his own to enjoy benefits and favours from Chinhoyi Municipality top managers who reportedly handpicked delegates to the symposium.
"Dendera is paying for his sins and is going into the political dustbin. This is a case of chickens coming home to roost since he was cosy with Zanu-PF councillors and municipality directors from whom he was now enjoying favours outside stipulated benefits," a source told NewZimbabwe.com.
It could not be immediately established whether the disaffected trio will launch appeals, which they are reportedly entitled to pursue, to challenge disqualification.
Efforts to get comment from CCC national spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere over the matter were fruitless by the time of publishing.
Meanwhile, candidate selection processes went on smoothly in most wards in Chinhoyi with some sitting councillors such as Good Sairos (Ward 1) and Dyke Makumbi (Ward 12) swinging votes in their favour, easily beating their opponents.
Sources told NewZimbabwe.com election commissioners dispatched from Harare on Saturday were bearers of sad news that the trio's names, including Ward 13 Councillor, Alderman Blackmore Nyangairo and Ward 10 Councillor Ishmael Madyavanhu, were not on the list of eligible candidates.
No reasons for disqualification were communicated to the three councillors, thereby leaving room for conjecture.
NewZimbabwe.com crew witnessed near-pandemonium at the polling venue at Rusununguko, formerly Ward 13 and now under Ward 10, where supporters loyal to Nyangairo threatened violence against commissioners after they felt hard done by the decision to disqualify their preferred horse.
The situation calmed down moments later after it became apparent the alderman, who has served three consecutive terms, would not be allowed to contest whatsoever.
ln the case of beleaguered mayor Dendera of Ward 5, CCC insiders said besides allegiance to Mwonzora which saved him, and others, from being recalled, he presided over questionable and unpopular decisions by the opposition-dominated council, which could jeopardise CCC president Nelson Chamisa's chances of winning the State presidency.
Instead of pushing populist policies ahead of decisive 2023 harmonised polls, Dendera in his capacity as mayor in 2021 gave the nod to ban farm bricks in housing construction to sail through chambers, sources said.
The unpopular council resolution sparked an uproar among residents and stakeholders, prompting the same council to rescind the move and extend the effective date to December 31 this year.
Curious too was the recent controversial trip to Nigeria, which Dendera and a female CCC councillor undertook alongside two Zanu-PF-linked councillors, a move that did not sit well with his peers who felt he must have lobbied for his own to enjoy benefits and favours from Chinhoyi Municipality top managers who reportedly handpicked delegates to the symposium.
"Dendera is paying for his sins and is going into the political dustbin. This is a case of chickens coming home to roost since he was cosy with Zanu-PF councillors and municipality directors from whom he was now enjoying favours outside stipulated benefits," a source told NewZimbabwe.com.
It could not be immediately established whether the disaffected trio will launch appeals, which they are reportedly entitled to pursue, to challenge disqualification.
Efforts to get comment from CCC national spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere over the matter were fruitless by the time of publishing.
Meanwhile, candidate selection processes went on smoothly in most wards in Chinhoyi with some sitting councillors such as Good Sairos (Ward 1) and Dyke Makumbi (Ward 12) swinging votes in their favour, easily beating their opponents.
Source - NewZimbabwe
