Zanu-PF ban civil servants

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial leadership has resolved to bar civil servants and serving members of the uninformed forces from taking part in next month's primary elections to choose ruling party candidates for the forthcoming harmonised elections.

The resolution was made on Wednesday during the party's provincial elections directorate (PED) meeting that was convened to receive curricula vitae (CVs) from aspiring candidates seeking to represent Zanu-PF in the National Assembly, Senate and council elections.

Zanu-PF will hold its primary elections on May 5.

Wednesday's provincial elections directorate meeting, which dragged for the greater part of the day, ended just before 8pm as members haggled over whether to include serving members of the civil service in the party's internal polls or not.

Speaking after submission of the CVs to the PED, Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana, who was part of the meeting, said the province had decided not to consider civil servants.

Mangwana - who successfully filed his papers to contest the Chivi Central National Assembly seat, where he will square off with former Chivi South legislator Albert Meke Chamwadaro - said the decision was reached after intense deliberations.

Only those who produce proof that they have resigned from the service will be allowed to participate in the internal polls.

"Masvingo (Zanu-PF) has made a position and that position is very clear that they do not want civil servants or serving members of the uniformed forces to participate in the ruling party's primary elections," he said.

"The party (Zanu-PF Masvingo) was clear that only those who have resigned and produced evidence thereof should be allowed to take part in the forthcoming primaries."

However, Mangwana said the PED had accepted all the CVs that were submitted for onward submission to the national elections directorate.

"We agreed to take all the CVs, including those submitted by civil servants and serving members of the uniformed forces, but made it clear that as a province, we had agreed that such people should not take part in the primaries," said Mangwana.

The party's top hierarchy, he said, will come up with a definitive position.

During the heated PED meeting chaired by Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira, most party members led by aspiring Bikita South legislator Retired Senior Assistant Commissioner Edmore Veterai, said civil servants should back off from ruling party activities.

Senior Assist Comm Veterai (Rtd) said most schools across Masvingo province were in a very sorry state as headmasters and other senior authorities were abandoning their duties to pursue politics.

He said in the current environment, where the country was grappling with high unemployment, it was wrong for civil servants to pursue two different jobs.

"We have some schools such as Tabudirira High School in Bikita South and Danhamombe Primary in Chivi South where standards had gone down because authorities there are now engaging in full time politics yet parents would have paid fees expecting their children to get good results," said Snr Asst Comm Veterai (Rtd) to applause.

The former senior police officer said banning civil servants and in particular headmasters and teachers from dabbling in politics will improve pass rates and minimise pilferage of resources at the institutions.