News / National
Mnangagwa ally in shock return after primaries defeat
06 Jun 2018 at 02:25hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa's ally, Abedinico Ncube, has shockingly bounced back as a Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate, where he will represent Gwanda South, replacing ZBC radio announcer, Omphile Marupi, who had won the party's primary elections.
Contacted for comment over his return, Ncube curtly said:"That's your story."
Marupi said: "Man, I am out. No reasons were given. There is something someone is hiding, but it will come out in the open."
Ncube, who is Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs minister, reportedly collapsed after he was pummelled by Marupi in Zanu-PF primary elections held last month, before he appealed against the results and won his way back into contention.
Marupi had garnered 1 284 votes against Ncube's 1 180 votes.
Ncube has surprisingly bounced back to political life more than three times after being condemned in the past.
His most recent was reinstatement as a minister after being booted out by former President Robert Mugabe in October last year.
Ncube bounced back after Mnangagwa assumed power last November.
After the loss to Marupi, Ncube accused his colleagues in the ruling party of masterminding his fall and openly called for the ouster of party national Zanu-PF commissar, Engelbert Rugeje and spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo.
Zanu-PF supporters have threatened to back opposition candidates as they accused the ruling party of imposing Ncube to represent them.
Party members have since started circulating messages on social media advocating for a protest vote.
"We wanted to change for the better, but the powers-that-be in Zanu-PF thought otherwise and redeployed Abedinico Ncube, a known non-performer, to represent us again for the next five years, meaning there is no development to talk about for those years," part of the message read.
"He has been MP for 20 years, but there is nothing to show to this effect. Asitshayeleni ibhola ehlathini njengoba abanye besithi bhora musango. (Let's kick the ball astray like what others are calling for)."
In the message, the party activists described Ncube as a survivor with "nine lives of a cat" and blank in terms of development ideas.
Other disgruntled Zanu-PF members in Tsholotsho North, Norton, Headlands and Zaka have also made similar threats following alleged imposition of candidates in their constituencies.
Contacted for comment over his return, Ncube curtly said:"That's your story."
Marupi said: "Man, I am out. No reasons were given. There is something someone is hiding, but it will come out in the open."
Ncube, who is Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs minister, reportedly collapsed after he was pummelled by Marupi in Zanu-PF primary elections held last month, before he appealed against the results and won his way back into contention.
Marupi had garnered 1 284 votes against Ncube's 1 180 votes.
Ncube has surprisingly bounced back to political life more than three times after being condemned in the past.
His most recent was reinstatement as a minister after being booted out by former President Robert Mugabe in October last year.
After the loss to Marupi, Ncube accused his colleagues in the ruling party of masterminding his fall and openly called for the ouster of party national Zanu-PF commissar, Engelbert Rugeje and spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo.
Zanu-PF supporters have threatened to back opposition candidates as they accused the ruling party of imposing Ncube to represent them.
Party members have since started circulating messages on social media advocating for a protest vote.
"We wanted to change for the better, but the powers-that-be in Zanu-PF thought otherwise and redeployed Abedinico Ncube, a known non-performer, to represent us again for the next five years, meaning there is no development to talk about for those years," part of the message read.
"He has been MP for 20 years, but there is nothing to show to this effect. Asitshayeleni ibhola ehlathini njengoba abanye besithi bhora musango. (Let's kick the ball astray like what others are calling for)."
In the message, the party activists described Ncube as a survivor with "nine lives of a cat" and blank in terms of development ideas.
Other disgruntled Zanu-PF members in Tsholotsho North, Norton, Headlands and Zaka have also made similar threats following alleged imposition of candidates in their constituencies.
Source - newsday
