Masvingo awaits new chairman

VOTING to elect the Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson ended here last night with a team tasked by the party to supervise the process expressing satisfaction over the conduct of the polls.

Results of the elections were expected either later last night or early today. The polls saw Cde Ezra Chadzamira and Retired Colonel Mutero Masanganise seek to land the chairperson’s post. There was high voter turnout in most of the 408 ward centres in the province, but concerns were raised in Bikita District where allegations were that suspended Masvingo political commissar Cde Jappy Jaboon discouraged members from voting. But Zanu-PF Politburo member and supervisor of the elections Cde Cain Mathema said the elections had proceeded well.

“The voting process went on smoothly and we are taking results as they come. We hope that the process culminating in the announcing of the results will end well. We are a peaceful party that is why there has been no any incidences of violence reported.”

Voting across most of the centres started at around 10am and some polling stations visited by our Harare Bureau including Zvishumbe, Nemamwa, and Rhodene had long queues in the morning which had disappeared by 2pm. The elections to select a substantive provincial chairman were first held in February after the then chairman Cde Chadzamira and his deputy Cde Kizito Chivamba were suspended on insubordination charges.

However, the two were later cleared of the accusations making them eligible for re-election. The Zanu PF politburo however ordered a rerun of the elections after the initial poll failed to determine a winner.

This was after some districts in the province failed to vote because of various reasons including bad weather.