No end in sight for CCC candidate selection process

Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter

THE opposition CCC candidate selection process has been marred by allegations of manipulation, lack of transparency and a deliberate attempt to subvert the will of party members.

This has delayed the announcement of the list of successful candidates almost a month after the contentious candidate selection process was held.

CCC deviated from traditional primary elections, opting for a nomination process for aspiring Members of Parliament, Senators and Councillors but the results have not been forthcoming.

To try and contain the situation, CCC has gone on to claim that Zanu PF has infiltrated its rank and file, an allegation which the ruling party has strongly refuted.

“The one man band of Nelson Chamisa and his cliques oligarchy are an embarrassment to the sanctimonious pundits of democracy in the West,” said Zanu PF national spokesperson Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa.

Responding to this publication yesterday, CCC spokesperson Advocate Fadzai Mahere said the claims were “false and malicious”.

“One of the key deliverables of our 2023 Agenda announced by president Chamisa at the start of the year was to come up with MPs and councillors to stand as Citizen Representatives in all 210 constituencies and 1971 wards throughout the country. We can confirm that the process has proceeded smoothly,” she said.

Although Adv Mahere maintained that the candidate selection process has been concluded, the opposition outfit is yet to announce the names of successful candidates.

“Candidates have been successfully nominated and vetted for each of these seats. Stakeholders have been consulted. We are currently at the citizen caucus stage where citizens will have a say on who will be the best representative for each respective community.

“We are well on course to ensure the citizens movement is competently and ethically represented in every community of Zimbabwe,” she said.

The opposition party’s selection process was plagued by incidents of violence, prompting reruns in the affected constituencies.

As if that was not enough, CCC was last week evicted from its Mabelreign offices in Harare, over failure to settle rental arrears.

The eviction sent tongues wagging in the party’s rank and file as questions were raised over how that would be possible when members make cash contributions and donations.