By Own Correspondent| Aspiring independent MP for Masvingo Urban, Michael Taderera, on Thursday stole the limelight after he asked his rival and fellow party member Bernard Mazarire to lend him $50 nomination fees.

Taderera, who contested and lost to Mazarire during Zanu Pf primary elections had evidently failed to raise the required $50 fee in order to register his name as an aspiring legislator in the forthcoming polls.

He begged Mazarire at the Nomination court at Masvingo Magistrates’ Court in front of journalists.

“My brother, I know I’m contesting against you, but can you help me raise $50 nomination fees,” he said.

Mazarire, a successful businessman and retired army major responded that he did not have the money further bringing members of the Press into uncontrollable laughter.

Taderera raised the money at the 11th hour and successfully filed his papers as an independent candidate.

Queried whether he was indeed a serious candidate, Taderera said he was the right candidate to represent Masvingo urban but he did not have money.

“These are the challenges that I face. I don’t have the money. I, however, managed to raise the fees. But I am a serious contender,” he said.

Taderera  is one of the aspiring candidates who failed to raise nomination fees including several presidential aspirants who called it quits and did not file their nomination papers after failing to raise the required $1 000 fees.

This reduced the number of presidential candidates to 23 despite the country’s elections body, ZEC revealing that over 120 political parties had registered their interest to participate in the forthcoming polls slated for July 30.- Newsday