'Members contesting as independents are sellouts'

FORMER State security minister Owen Mudha Ncube has described Zanu-PF members who stand as independent candidates as sellouts.

A number of members who lost in the ruling party's May internal polls are reportedly mulling contesting in the August 23 elections as independents, which has infuriated the party leadership.

Addressing a rally to drum up support for July Moyo the party's parliamentary candidate for Redcliff, Ncube, who is Midlands provincial secretary for security, said members who lost in the party primaries should accept defeat and work with winning candidates.

"We have some candidates who lost in the primary elections, but now want to contest as independent candidates. In Zanu-PF, we don't vote for independent candidates. If you want to be an independent candidate you are now anti-revolutionary. Please do not use the name of our party telling people you are representing our party as an independent candidate," Ncube said.

He said losing party members who intended to stand as independent candidates in the harmonised elections were enemies of Zanu-PF and the party's revolutionary principles.

Ncube has been on a whirlwind tour of the Midlands province in a bid to unite warring factions in the party.

The ruling party last week resolved not to accept back members who stand as independent candidates.