Mupfumi’s plea

Ray Bande Senior Reporter
THE Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency Zanu-PF primary elections winner, Cde Isau Mupfumi, has passionately called on his competitors and their followers to bury the hatchet and concentrate on working towards the victory of the revolutionary party.

Cde Mupfumi garnered 1 110 votes against Cdes Binali Yard (745), Reketai Micha Duru (586), Kenneth Muchina (522) and Future Pariyana (67).

The primary election was one of the eight conducted in constituencies that were left vacant after the recall of 21 MDC-T legislators from Parliament last month.

June 10 has been set as the date for the by elections should they become necessary by close of Nomination Court yesterday (Thursday). In an interview after the announcement of the results last Saturday, Cde Mupfumi said an election was divisive by nature, but now that the primary election was over and done with, it was time for all bona fide Zanu-PF members to come together and support his candidature for the sake of the party.

Cde Mupfumi pledged to work with all the losing candidates to ensure that Zanu-PF gets the Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency seat.

“After all, there is no individual winner in the primary election. The fact that we managed to conduct an election and did so in a mature manner means that Zanu-PF the party is the winner and not individuals. I passionately call upon all those who were competing against me during the primary election to come and rally behind my candidature as a Zanu-PF representative,” said the Mutare transport operator.

Announcing the results, Zanu-PF Politburo member as well as party chief whip in the National Assembly, Cde Jorum Gumbo, who was the returning officer, urged losing candidates to support the winner and ensure that the constituency remains in Zanu-PF’s hands for a long time to come.

“We are happy that we managed to accomplish the mission that we were mandated to do by the commissariat. The process was democratic, peaceful and went on smoothly although an election by nature will always have some minor disagreements and points of contention.