Minister calls for unity ahead of primaries
ZANU-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu has called for unity among party members ahead of the party’s primary elections.
Cde Mpofu made the calls while addressing a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Lupane on Wednesday.
A total of 467 aspiring candidates submitted their curriculum vitaes (CVs) for the House of Assembly and local authorities primary elections on May 5. A total of 58 aspiring MPs submitted CVs for the 13 Parliamentary seats in the province while there are 11 senatorial hopefuls contesting the six seats and 14 who submitted CVs for the six Women’s Quota seats. Close to 400 CVs were received by the party’s provincial leadership for about 200 wards in the seven districts.
Dr Mpofu said the large number of contestants in the coming primary elections scheduled for May 5 pointed to lack of unity in the party.
He warned that this might cost the party going into the harmonised elections if people remain divided. “This is an important day for those of us who have worked for the party. However, what’s worrying is to see three CVs for the same position, this is indicative of a problem. This might lead to loss of constituencies in the upcoming harmonised elections,” said Dr Mpofu.
“What is killing the party is opportunism. We have people who want to fish from the plate, how can you want to catch fish that has already been caught? Go and catch your own,” he said.
Dr Mpofu urged senior members to pave way for the younger generation who qualify for local authorities and House of Assembly positions.
He challenged party members not to forget the bigger task of rallying behind the party in the harmonised elections. “Any member who will stand as an independent or de-campaign chosen candidates may be expelled upon conviction by the party’s disciplinary committee,” he said.
Dr Mpofu reiterated that the party would not impose candidates but challenged members to elect people with capacity to be appointed as ministers. He implored those who will win the elections to improve their political careers by advancing their education.
In Bulawayo, more than 168 members submitted their CVs for the 12 Parliamentary seats and six senatorial. There are 29 council wards in the city.
Bulawayo provincial commissar, Cde Canaan Ncube, said the province had been overwhelmed by the number of people who want to represent the party in the coming elections.
“People are still submitting their CVs even today there is an influx of people who are in the office to submit their papers. By end of working day on Wednesday we had 168 people who had submitted their CVs. We will know the actual number of people who would have submitted their CVs by the end of today (yesterday),” said Cde Ncube.
He said processing of the CVs commences today as the submission deadlines lapsed yesterday.
Members who reportedly submitted their CVs include Cde Mlungisi Moyo for Bulawayo Central, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube and Cde Peter Baka Nyoni for the Makokoba Constituency, Youth League provincial chairman Cde Khumbulani Mpofu for the Pumula constituency while Luveve MP Cde Ntando Mlilo and his Pelandaba-Mpopoma counterpart Cde Joseph Tshuma are seeking reelection. Provincial secretary for administration, Cde Elifasi Mashaba, also reportedly submitted his CV for the Nketa Constituency.
Cde Ncube said there is renewed excitement among Zanu-PF members on party issues hence the desire to represent the party. “People are beginning to have confidence in our party. That is why they want to represent the party. The submission of CVs is a direct response to President Mnangagwa’s instruction that there will be no imposition of candidates and members should be able to select the representatives they want,” said Cde Ncube.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Rabelani Choeni could not provide details on the CVs submissions saying he has not had the chance to go through the papers. — @ncubeleon/@ nqotshili