Paul Nyathi

Besides Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga’s call that by elections set for December this year have been banned, the ruling ZANU PF party is forging ahead with primary elections to choose candidates who will represent the party in the elections.

Chiwenga who is also the Vice President of the both ZANU PF and the country banned the by elections citing the Covid-19 Pandemic as the main reason.

ZANU PF has instead been holding the by elections and bringing in thousands of voters at polling stations quite contrary to the Covid-19 restrictions Chiwenga referenced.

This weekend the party will hold primary elections in Gwanda and Beitbridge in preparation for council by-elections to replace MDC-T councillors who were recalled by their party.

The MDC-T has recalled Gwanda and Beitbridge mayors, Jaston Mazhale (Ward 7) and Morgan Ncube (Ward 4) respectively.

The party also recalled Granger Nyoni (Ward 5) who was the Finance committee chairperson,

Though new mayors have been chosen to replace those that have been recalled, Zanu PF chairman for Matabeleland South, Rabelani Choeni, said their preparations for primary elections had gathered momentum.

Mazhale was replaced by Njabulo Siziba (Ward 4), while Ncube was replaced with his former deputy, Cllr Munyaradzi Chitsunge (Ward 2).

“We are busy on the ground preparing for by-elections to fill the seats of those who have been recalled from local authorities in our area,” said Cde Choeni. “We are going to be having primary elections on Saturday to select those who will represent our party.”

Choeni said they had also completed collecting applications for those intending to contest in the District Coordinating Committee elections.

He said the process went well, and they had forwarded all the necessary documents to Zanu PF headquarters pending further guidance.

Choeni said campaigns will start as soon as they got feedback on the eligibility of the potential candidates.

“In terms of DCC elections, we have done our part as provincial leaders and have submitted the CVs to Harare,” he said. “We stand guided by the party and we are looking forward to a smooth process.”

Additional reporting: State Media