By Paul Nyathi|The man who helped former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko develop his Choppies Supermarkets brand in Zimbabwe, Mr Raj Modi has submitted his name to contest in the ZANU PF primaryelections set for May 5.
Modi who is probably Bulawayo’s wealthiest business man submitted his application to contest the Bulawayo South Constituency.
Modi ran the first Choppies Supermarket in the country before roping in Mphoko into the venture and eventually selling his stake to the former Vice President.
In a ZANU PF list of contestants leaked to ZimEye.com, Modi will face off with Douglas Gangaidzo, Bafana Andy Dube, Sibekithemba Mafengu, Makunga Moyo, Nomalanga Gumede and Jameson Msika.
In the other constituencies in the metropolitan province, about 200 members of the ruling party have made known their intentions to contest the elections set for July this year.
Opposition MDC stronghold Bulawayo East has the biggest number of candidates with 10 applicants.
Those eyeing to contest confirmed MDC Alliance coalition candidate David Coltart are little knowns Emmanuel Kanjoma, Josephine Danda, Kevin Muzvidziwa, Nkosana Mkandla, Sweet Sweet, Manala Moti, Minias Mpofu, Mathew Smith, Shorai Zonde and Enerst M Shora.
Lobengula constituency has seven candidates, Christopher Sibanda, Patisani Dube, Micah Micheal Sikhosana, Aaron Ncube, sitting MP Maideyi Mpala and Golden Ndlovu.
Pelandaba-Mpopoma also has seven candidates where sitting MP Joseph Tshuma will battle it out with Marshall Rusike, Itai Stephen Chitepo, Joshua V Mlambo, Sibangani Joseph Malinga and Alfred Mpofu.
Nketa-Emganwini has five candidates namely Eliphas Mashaba, Honest Moyo, Albert Mavhunga, George Tshabangu and Livingstone Chikuni.
Bulawayo Central also has five aspiring candidates who are Mlungisi Moyo, Russell Thomas Nyatsimbo, Raymond Mutomba, Patrick Zharare and Mark Ncube.
In Luveve four candidates will contest against incumbent MP Ntandoyenkosi Mlilo. They are Garikai PC Zonde, Bornface F Ndebele, Maxwell Chigerwe and Lazarus Runganga.
In Pumula four candidates submitted their CVs including the party’s provincial youth chair Khumbulani Mpofu who will battle with MP Godfrey Malaba and Kalfinos Charumbira and Mazwine Gumbo.
Makokoba MP Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube who will face his former personal assistant Nothiwani Dlodlo and Peter Baka Nyoni, the husband to Cabinet Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni.
Nkulumane MP Killian Sibanda will battle it out with his long term rival, Central Committee member David Ndlovu.
The ZANU PF Bulawayo provincial executive last week refused to disclose the names of people who had submitted their names for the primaries indicating that only the head office in Harare was going to do that.
The party strongly warned against the list being leaked but it has since found its way into the media.
ZANU PF has never won a parliamentary seat in the national elections since the formation of the MDC in 1999. The party only won seats at the recent by elections when the MDCs declined to participate in the primaries.