Confusion rocks Zanu PF ahead of provincial elections

CONFUSION has rocked the ruling Zanu PF party in Mashonaland East ahead of provincial elections as top contestants across all wings were from the same district, Wedza.

The party has since halted the polls due to the chaos.

Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Applonia Munzverengwi is vying for the provincial women’s league chair post, while acting chairperson Michael Madanha is set to contest for the substantive position.

They both hail from Wedza district.

Youth leader McNorman Chitongo, also from Wedza district, was eying the youth league post, but withdrew after realising the imbalance.

“I have shelved my intentions of contesting for the youth league post,” Chitongo said.

A top party provincial official who declined to be named told NewsDay that if all candidates from Wedza win in the elections, it would create an imbalance.

“We have top contenders across all wings who are set to contest in the provincial elections. If Madanha and Munzverengwi win, then there will be disunity in the province. Some cannot stand having leaders from one district.

“The arguments by others were that at some point, Mudzi district had Ray Kaukonde as the chairman while the late Aquillina Katsande was the women’s league boss. Recently, we had the late Joel Matiza as the chairman, while Lyn Gororo is the women’s league chair. There is need to avoid that. The power matrix should be balanced,” the official said.

Madanha is set to battle it out with Kelvin Mutsvairo and Hebert Shumbamhini, while Munzverengwi will contest the women’s league top post against Gororo.

Uzumba’s Tinashe Choto, the late Matiza’s son Batsirai and a Mutoko miner, Isaac Tasikani, are all eyeing the provincial youth league chairperson post.

Provincial secretary for administration Kudzai Majuru said there was no provision in the party constitution that barred candidates from the same district from campaigning for posts.

“There is no hard and fast rule in the party constitution which governs this. However, it has been the consensus of the people that top posts should be shared proportionally and spread across districts which is only fair,” he said.