No sacred cows in Zanu-PF Central Committee polls

There will be no sacred cows during the Zanu-PF Central Committee elections, with everyone having to be contested despite their position in the party, in line with Zanu-PF's democratic practices, President Mnangagwa, who is also the revolutionary party's First Secretary, has laid out.

The clarification comes as there have been reports, principally on social media, that some Politburo members would not be contested for Central Committee positions in their provinces.

Giving an update on the Zanu-PF Central Committee elections last Friday, the party's national Political Commissar Mike Bimha said President Mnangagwa directed that everyone be contested.

"Those Politburo members who might not be going for elections, it might be just by luck that probably there are no takers, people who have come forward and (are) interested," he said.

"Where people have come forward and they are interested, that is democracy; that's what Zanu-PF is all about. Zanu-PF brought democracy, therefore, we must practice that democracy to the letter. So, there are no sacred cows."

Bimha said the election process had started, with provinces receiving CVs and are making comments and recommendations regarding the suitability of potential candidates.

"Provinces didn't refuse any CVs, they were actually assessing the CVs and making comments and recommendations," he said.

The CVs have since been forwarded to the party's National Elections directorate which then supervises the work that was done by provincial elections directorates.

The CVs were also subjected to vetting in terms of security and the set guidelines.

"The process is now towards its final stages, where we are now making consultations with the Presidium, checking certain information to make sure that the work we have done is aboveboard and meets the criteria that has been set by leadership," said Bimha.

"Everybody who meets the criteria has every right to participate in Central Committee elections. There are no ways we are saying so and so cannot be contested."

Members were warned against vote buying during the Central Committee election process.

"We are now making sure that we put our ducks in a row and that is, once all the preparations are done, we will now be giving the date for elections and also set everything in motion to ensure that these elections are done freely and in a transparent manner and that people who are supposed to vote do so and exercise their right," said Bimha.

The Central Committee has 304 positions, with 100 of them being provincial allocations where each province gets 10 members.

The other 94 posts are based on the party's strength using the Zanu-PF 2018 Presidential election votes.

"We also have the Women's League national executive, which is two per province, and we have the Women's League quota, which is five per province, and the Youth League national executive committee which is two per province and the War Veterans League which is also two per province," said Bimha.

The number of Central Committee positions is allocated according to provinces.

Bulawayo province will be allocated 23 positions, Harare 29, Manicaland 32, Mashonaland Central 35, Mashonaland East 34, Mashonaland West 33, Masvingo 33, Matabeleland North 25, Matabeleland South 25 and Midlands 35.

The figures include those from the Youth League, Women's League and the War Veterans League.

Bimha said a waiver is also given to civil servants and war veterans who want to participate in the Central Committee elections.