News / Local
Rigging mars Zanu-PF primaries
15 Dec 2023 at 02:31hrs | Views
Zanu-PF's primary elections held on Wednesday in Seke and Goromonzi, Mashonaland West province, were marred by massive rigging despite the low voter turnout.
In Seke, Munyaradzi Kashambe emerged the winner after polling 1 138 votes.
A total of 3 118 Zanu-PF members participated in the election in Seke.
Businessman Washington Zhanda polled 1 137 votes in Goromonzi South to emerge the winner, according to preliminary results released yesterday.
In Seke, one of the candidates, Sharon Mugabe-Garwe, who is the wife of National Housing minister Daniel Garwe, pulled out of the race a few days before the internal polls.
Some Zanu-PF members in Goromonzi South alleged massive vote rigging after one of the members was reportedly found in possession of marked ballot papers.
Former provincial youth league boss and central committee member, Kelvin Mutsvairo, who came second in Seke after garnering 1 071 votes, has since lodged a complaint saying the vote was rigged.
"We have evidence of all irregularities (that took place in) the Seke primary election and we are forwarding them to the national elections directorate for further investigations," he said.
Mutsvairo said cell registers were missing in some wards.
Top party officials blamed the low turnout to incessant rains experienced in the two areas on Wednesday as well as centralised voting stations.
"Besides the rains, the low turnout is attributed to the distance to the voting centre. Members cast their votes at ward centres only, hence some could not manage the distances," an official, who refused to be named, said.
Zanu-PF provincial political commissar Lincoln Matare said they were now mobilising support ahead of the February 3 by-elections.
"The internal polls are over and Zanu-PF now has a candidate. Let us bury the hatchet and put our eyes on the ball and make sure that we retain the seats," he said.
The two seats fell vacant following the recall of the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change legislators by self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu. The nomination courts sit on Monday.
In Seke, Munyaradzi Kashambe emerged the winner after polling 1 138 votes.
A total of 3 118 Zanu-PF members participated in the election in Seke.
Businessman Washington Zhanda polled 1 137 votes in Goromonzi South to emerge the winner, according to preliminary results released yesterday.
In Seke, one of the candidates, Sharon Mugabe-Garwe, who is the wife of National Housing minister Daniel Garwe, pulled out of the race a few days before the internal polls.
Some Zanu-PF members in Goromonzi South alleged massive vote rigging after one of the members was reportedly found in possession of marked ballot papers.
Former provincial youth league boss and central committee member, Kelvin Mutsvairo, who came second in Seke after garnering 1 071 votes, has since lodged a complaint saying the vote was rigged.
"We have evidence of all irregularities (that took place in) the Seke primary election and we are forwarding them to the national elections directorate for further investigations," he said.
Mutsvairo said cell registers were missing in some wards.
Top party officials blamed the low turnout to incessant rains experienced in the two areas on Wednesday as well as centralised voting stations.
"Besides the rains, the low turnout is attributed to the distance to the voting centre. Members cast their votes at ward centres only, hence some could not manage the distances," an official, who refused to be named, said.
Zanu-PF provincial political commissar Lincoln Matare said they were now mobilising support ahead of the February 3 by-elections.
"The internal polls are over and Zanu-PF now has a candidate. Let us bury the hatchet and put our eyes on the ball and make sure that we retain the seats," he said.
The two seats fell vacant following the recall of the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change legislators by self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu. The nomination courts sit on Monday.
Source - newsday
