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Molline Gagare Chronicle Reporter
FORMER Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, Temba Mliswa, is set to stand as an independent candidate in Hurungwe West constituency following his expulsion from the party last week.Mliswa and his uncle Didymus Mutasa, who lost his secretary for administration post following Zanu PF’s Congress last December, were expelled from the ruling party last week on various charges that include undermining the party and its leadership.
Even though their Parliamentary seats have not been officially declared vacant, it is now a foregone conclusion that by elections will be held in Mliswa’s Hurungwe West and Mutasa’s Headlands constituencies as they had won them on Zanu PF tickets.
Mliswa yesterday claimed that Zanu PF supporters in the constituency wanted him to continue representing them in parliament, hence his decision to stand as an independent candidate.
“It isn’t me who is saying I should stand as an independent candidate. The people in my constituency are the ones who’ve come up with the proposal that I should stand as an independent candidate. Remember that these are Zanu PF supporters who are urging me to contest independently,” he said by telephone.
The ousted chairman went on to say that his expulsion from the party was engineered by a few individuals from the province who were intimidated by him.
“There are certain elements in the province who are threatened by me. These elements do not want to see me succeed. I’m saying this because the truth must be heard. The matter of my expulsion wasn’t handled correctly. I wasn’t even called for a hearing informing me of my expulsion. I don’t even know who found me guilty of any wrong doing,” said Mliswa.
Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi described the former Mashonaland West chairman as a traitor who would lose as an independent candidate.
“Though there isn’t yet an official candidate who is going to contest on behalf of Zanu PF, the provincial leadership together with chiefs is in the process of campaigning for the party to win the constituency. There’s no way an undisciplined traitor like Mliswa is ever going to lead a constituency that’s a stronghold of the party. We’re going to show the people of Mashonaland West who the real Temba Mliswa is,” said Cde Ziyambi.
By elections for two other constituencies – Mt Darwin West and Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe have been set for March 27.
The Mt Darwin West seat fell vacant when Joice Mujuru was appointed as Vice President following the 2013 general elections, before she was sacked from the top job late last year for plotting to unseat President Mugabe.
The Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe seat fell vacant when Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa was appointed to replace Mujuru. Cde Mnangagwa’s wife Auxillia, will stand on Zanu-PF’s ticket in the Midlands seat, while in Mt Darwin West, the party will be represented by Barnwell Seremwe.
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