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Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
THE electioneering season is upon us, with political parties oiling their machinery ahead of the harmonised elections scheduled for August 23.
President Mnangagwa last week proclaimed August 23 as the date of the harmonised elections to elect the President, National Assembly, Senate and local government representatives.
The nomination court will sit on June 21 to accept applications from candidates.
The ruling ZANU PF this week set the ball rolling by holding a five-day orientation and induction workshop which was attended by the party’s national leadership, as well as all candidates for National Assembly, Senate and the Women’s Quota in Gweru.
All candidates from Manicaland attended the training, thereby setting the stage for a vigorous campaign to win the endorsement of voters.
The induction workshop ran under the theme “Building Team ZANU PF for the 2023 Harmonised Elections”.
On Wednesday, ZANU PF Manicaland provincial spokesperson, Cde Samson Matema said all prospective legislators are geared for the final push towards a landslide victory in all of Manicaland’s 26 constituencies.
“We are more united than before on account of the lessons learnt from the Gweru workshop. We expect to get the youth dividend on the back of the youthfulness that was infused in the revolutionary party during the internal selection process that is now behind us.
“As we wait for the official launch of the manifesto and the 2023 election bid by the President and First Secretary of the party, the political fortunes and future of Manicaland and the country at large have never been as inviting and permitting.
“The President and First Secretary of the party, Dr ED Mnangagwa, will give us the direction of travel with respect to the elections bid and the mobilisation thereof,” he said.
While ZANU PF members are coalescing towards a common goal, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) is in disarray over imposition of candidates in the province.
A case in point is Dangamvura Constituency where the incumbent, Mr Prosper Mutseyami was allegedly imposed, much to the chagrin of party supporters who petitioned their leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa to intervene.
“ . . . this petition serves to inform you that all is not well in Dangamvura Constituency since the caucus candidate selection for MP was conducted on April 29, 2023.
“The citizens were not afforded an opportunity to interface with the vetted candidates. No voting and counting of heads was done to establish who got what between the two vying candidates. Both candidates presented their manifestos, but no interface was done with the citizens notwithstanding that (Mr) Boniface Gweru’s presentation was disrupted by the unruly crowd.
“The presiding commissioner then closed the proceedings advising the gathering that the results of the successful candidate would be announced at a later date. It is in light of this that we the undersigned, Dangamvura Constituency citizens, do hereby register and express our displeasure with the way this process was conducted to you as it is such culture of candidate imposition which may result in our beloved party losing valued votes in the harmonised election,” reads part of the petition.
The members demanded that an ad-hoc committee be set up to look into the matter.
“As Dangamvura Constituency, we say no to imposition of candidates. We need confirmation by citizens,” they added.
However, CCC provincial elections coordinator, Mr Itai Masaka played down the matter saying no candidates have been endorsed.
“We will finalise the candidate selection process on Monday, and that is when an official announcement will be made. As we speak, no party candidates have has been confirmed.
“All the candidates will be announced to the citizens on Monday, after that the party will roll out its fully fledged campaigns across the province. People should wait for the official announcement instead of acting on emotions,” said Mr Masaka.
MDC-T president, Mr Douglas Mwonzora said his party’s national council and national executive committee met over the weekend and agreed to field him as the Presidential candidate.
“The party agreed to field me as the Presidential candidate and also agreed to field candidates in all the 210 constituencies, Senate, Women Quota and all wards across the country. We also resolved to pursue our delimitation challenge at the High Court,” he said.
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