By Own Correspondent| Zanu Pf leader and Presidential candidate, Emmerson Mnangagwa castigated former party members who registered to participate in the forthcoming harmonised polls as independent candidates revealing that the party had broken ranks with them.

Speaking to thousands of Zanu PF supporters who thronged Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo (Friday) President Mnangagwa threatened unspecified action against these Zanu-PF members who defied the party and are now running as independent candidates following their loss in the party’s primary elections.

“We are no longer friends; we do not want that spirit of legion,” he said.

“If you are defeated, the party is bigger than individuals, no one has a pocket that fits Zanu PF, but we all fit in Zanu PF.”

Mnangagwa told supporters that Zanu Pf was a mass party hence those who had defied the party directives were no longer friends of the party.

“I hear there are two or so party members [in Masvingo] who stood as independents. I do not like those people,” he said.

“We had primaries where others won and lost, others rigged and others were rigged. Some won by rigging, some lost even after rigging, but I say down with rigging, leadership should come from the people, no imposition of candidates,” Mnangagwa said

Several disgruntled Zanu PF members such as Darlington Chiwa will contest with Zanu-PF’s official candidate for Chiredzi West constituency, Farai Musikavanhu.

Pascal Mudzikisi, who was blocked in Masvingo North also filed to stand against Agriculture deputy minister Davis Marapira.- Newsday.