Little known candidates win Zanu-PF primaries

LITTLE known Ronald Chindedza and Beauty Chabaya shocked Zanu PF favourate candidates in weekend primary election to win the party's sole tickets for Norton and Bikita West parliamentary seats, respectively.

Chindedza is now the party's sole candidate for Norton constituency that was left vacant with the recall of war veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa from Parliament.

The outspoken Mutsvangwa was recalled after he was expelled from the party on allegations of undermining President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe.

In Bikita West, Chabaya garnered 1 423 votes to shock perennial aspirant Elias Musakwa who collected a paltry 540 votes. The seat was left vacant following the recall of Munyaradzi Kereke who is serving a 10-year jail term for rape.

Chindedza pulled 907 votes, 300 more than second-placed Bybit Tsomondo.

The Zanu PF candidate for Norton yesterday said he would now focus on outfoxing independent candidate Temba Mliswa, who is being backed by war veterans.

"The whole voting process was fair, although a lot many voters were turned away for various reasons," Chindedza said.
"This was just preliminary, now that I have won; my real focus is to deal with Temba head on."

Mliswa was Hurungwe west MP until he was recalled for working with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru in an alleged plot to oust Mugabe. He stood as an independent and narrowly lost to Keith Guzah.

Nine candidates battled it out in Bikita West. Musakwa was tipped as the favourite, after contesting for the seat in the past two general elections.

In 2008, he narrowly lost to MDC-T's Heya Shoko before he was tipped-off by Kereke in the 2013 primaries, although Mugabe preferred him to represent the party.

Meanwhile, four party members have successfully won the bid to contest Zanu PF primaries in Chimanimani West constituency formerly held by Munacho mUtezo.

These are Letina Undenge, Nokhutula Matsikenyere, Tasen Dube and John Gwitira .

The dates for the primary elections and subsequent by-elections are yet to be announced.