The Zim People First leader, Joice Mujuru is once again going to be tested in the political field as a by-election beckons in Mwenezi East.
Squabbling in Mujuru’s party was among the reasons she lost resoundingly in the Bikita-West by-election, resulting in one of her top leaders, Retired Colonel Claudiuos Makova resigning.
Meanwhile the state media reports that, ZANU-PF Masvingo provincial leaders have set their sight on retaining the Mwenezi East National Assembly seat which fell vacant last month.
The then incumbent Joshua Moyo died after a long illness in December last year.
Acting Masvingo provincial chairman Amasa Nhenjana said the party will early next month conduct a primary election to choose a candidate to stand in the by-election whose date is yet to be proclaimed.
He said the provincial leadership was motivated by the party’s landslide victory achieved in Bikita West where Beauty Chabaya garnered 13 156 votes against her nearest rival, Mr Kudakwashe Gopo from ZimPF who managed only 2453 last week.
Chabaya won the seat that fell vacant following the incarceration of Munyaradzi Kereke for 10 years for rape in July last year.
“After achieving a clean sweep in Bikita West, we are not resting. We are moving to Mwenezi East and we are ready to retain the vacant seat.
“We are motivated by the sweet victory achieved in Bikita West and we have notified our structures in Mwenezi over our plans to conduct primary elections soon,” he said
Nhenjana said the party’s structures in Mwenezi are expected to come up with names of their preferred candidates to stand in the primary election.
“Very soon all the party’s political districts in Mwenezi will forward names of members they want to contest in the primary election to the provincial executive for vetting.
“After the primaries, the campaign train will be in motion as we want to ensure that Zanu-PF wins resoundingly again. We are looking for nothing short of victory,” he said.