Paul Nyathi
ZANU-PF has selected a controversial nine candidates to that will represent the party in the Bulawayo council by-elections to replace a councillor that passed away and eight others that were recalled by MDC-T leader Dr Thokozani Khupe.
The list has already been met with resistance from activists in Bulawayo who claim that it is dominated by people who are not originally from the city.
Gwinyai Mucheki will represent the party in Ward 3 while Jairos Maropa will stand in Ward 8. In Ward 18 Enock Madzimure will represent the party, Phumulani Nsingo will stand in Ward 19. Admire Masikati will contest in Ward 9 while Mary Ncube will do so in Ward 12. Dennis Sibanda will be the Zanu-PF candidate in Ward 20 while Sailas Chirosho will stand in Ward 21. In Ward 26, Lungisani Sibanda will be the party candidate.
Last month, Dr Khupe recalled Clayton Zana of Ward 19, Tinevimbo Maposa of Ward 21, Ernest Rafamoyo of Ward 20, Donald Mabuto of Ward 9, Tinashe Kambarami of Ward 3, Lilian Mlilo of Ward 12, Concilia Mlalazi of Ward 18 and Norman Hlabano of Ward 26. There is also a vacant seat in Bulawayo following the death of Ward 8 councillor Ronnian Mudara.
Speaking on the sidelines of a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meeting yesterday, Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province Secretary for Information and Publicity Canaan Ncube said the party was happy with its selection, as it believed they were best candidates to return the City of Bulawayo to its former glory.
“We have what we call a selection of who will represent us. The most important thing is to realise that Bulawayo is in the midst of several major crises. It needs councillors that are genuine, councillors that will stand for the city and take it back to its past glory. That’s what we want and that’s what we had in mind when we selected the men and women that are going to represent us. We want them to take Bulawayo back to what it was. That’s the most important thing,” he said.
Ncube said the MDC-Alliance councillors that had been recalled had brought disgrace to the council chambers and it was now up to the ruling party to get council back on track.