News / National
No date yet for Zanu-PF central committee polls
04 Oct 2022 at 01:09hrs | Views
THE ruling Zanu-PF party is yet to announce dates for its central committee polls amid allegations of vote-buying among candidates.
Party national political commissar Mike Bimha, however, told NewsDay yesterday that preparations for the elections were at an advanced stage.
"We have no date set yet for the central committee elections, but our preparations are going on well," Bimha said, adding that vote-buying would not be tolerated.
However, there are allegations that former Zanu-PF Nyanga South MP Paul Kadzima bribed party members to vote for him during the Nyanga district elections.
"Comrade Paul Kadzima is paying party members in the youth, women's league and main wing about US$10 each so that they can vote for him in the central committee elections," a party source told NewsDay.
"Some of the party members are refusing the money claiming that it is too little, while other party members have threatened to expose the issue and bring the money as evidence at our next meeting in Nyanga district," added another source.
Kadzima yesterday dismissed the allegations claiming that they emanated from mudslingers.
"Remember we are going into election period, and there is a lot of mudslinging taking place. People just want to tarnish my image," Kadzima said.
Kadzima is expected to contest against Nyanga South MP Supa Mandiwanzira, and central committee member Moses Gutu.
Kadzima is the father of Talent Kadzima, who in 2018 contested the Nyanga South National Assembly seat as an independent candidate.
The ruling party, which is preparing for a congress later this month, asked Kadzima to urge his daughter Talent to withdraw from contesting as an independent, to no avail.
The seat was eventually won by Mandiwanzira.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already been endorsed as the sole party candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
Party national political commissar Mike Bimha, however, told NewsDay yesterday that preparations for the elections were at an advanced stage.
"We have no date set yet for the central committee elections, but our preparations are going on well," Bimha said, adding that vote-buying would not be tolerated.
However, there are allegations that former Zanu-PF Nyanga South MP Paul Kadzima bribed party members to vote for him during the Nyanga district elections.
"Comrade Paul Kadzima is paying party members in the youth, women's league and main wing about US$10 each so that they can vote for him in the central committee elections," a party source told NewsDay.
"Some of the party members are refusing the money claiming that it is too little, while other party members have threatened to expose the issue and bring the money as evidence at our next meeting in Nyanga district," added another source.
"Remember we are going into election period, and there is a lot of mudslinging taking place. People just want to tarnish my image," Kadzima said.
Kadzima is expected to contest against Nyanga South MP Supa Mandiwanzira, and central committee member Moses Gutu.
Kadzima is the father of Talent Kadzima, who in 2018 contested the Nyanga South National Assembly seat as an independent candidate.
The ruling party, which is preparing for a congress later this month, asked Kadzima to urge his daughter Talent to withdraw from contesting as an independent, to no avail.
The seat was eventually won by Mandiwanzira.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already been endorsed as the sole party candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
Source - Newsday Zimbabwe
