Zanu PF losing candidates expose party rigging tricks

ASPIRING Zanu PF candidates who lost in the ruling party's recent primary elections in Shurugwi South have spilled the beans, accusing the winner, Edmond Mukaratigwa of using unorthodox means in the polls.

The losing candidates claimed that Mukaratigwa brought marked ballot papers to the polling station, where voters' cell registers were also missing.

The irregularities were exposed in a petition submitted to the ruling party's provincial offices in Gweru.

Mukaratigwa was declared winner after beating Gift Mpofu, Milton Chemhuru and Alfred Makara.

"At Donga (ward 10) and the whole of Mapendere and Mashoko villages were not allowed to vote due to confusion involving missing cell registers," read the letter.

"Several names were missing from the cell registers and even names of senior party officials were missing from the cell registers."

The losers demanded a re-run of the internal elections under an environment that ensures free and fairness.

They said ballot boxes were not well secured.

"In conclusion, the primary elections in Shurugwi South were not free, fair and credible," they wrote.

Although Zanu PF provincial chairperson

Daniel Mackenzie Ncube could not reached for comment yesterday, the ruling party's politburo recently said it had shut the door for re-runs.