Zanu-PF bars ZBC reporter from campaigning

THE Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) has reportedly barred ZBC reporter Tendai Munengwa from contesting in the party's primary elections, accusing him of launching his campaign for the Mt Darwin South seat before he was cleared by the party.

Munengwa dropped his microphone to announce he would be contesting the ruling party's primaries, reportedly set for later this month or early April.

He then released a stylish calendar themed: #EDHasMyVote, Hon Tendai Munengwa Mt Darwin South. The Zanu-PF youth league last month launched the #EDHasMyVote campaign, in a bid to woo young people into voting for the 75-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Insiders said Munengwa's move irked some party leaders in the province.

"The party is yet to release its guidelines and here is this young man already campaigning. It's unprocedural and a committee has been set up to investigate the issue," NewsDay heard.

Munengwa said nothing has officially been communicated to him.

"I have done nothing wrong. After politburo member (Retired Air Marshal Perrance) Shiri addressed people in the constituency and announced former President Robert Mugabe was no longer leader and President Mnangagwa was now in charge, I decided to produce calendars campaigning for the President.

That is all, I have not chanted a slogan or campaigned anywhere," Munengwa said.

Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson Kazembe Kazembe confirmed an order to stop campaigns had been issued, but could not be drawn into specifics.

"It was a blanket statement not specific to any individual because this is not personal. We just said people need to stop campaigning until the party opens the process," Kazembe said.

Another ZBC senior reporter, Andrew Neshamba has also thrown his hat into the ring and will contest in the ruling party's internal selection process for the same seat, ahead of elections later this year.

Neshamba and Munengwa will tussle with youth league executive member Godfrey Tsenengamu, and businessman James Makamba for the right to represent Zanu-PF in Mt Darwin South.

Mount Darwin South was last represented in Parliament by former Zanu-PF political commissar and Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere. Kasukuwere is now in exile after escaping a military dragnet that preceded Mnangagwa's rise to power last November.

Makamba returned to the country after more than 10 years in self-imposed exile.

Tsenengamu said when the right time comes he will announce his position, but said his interest was in the constituency.