adminSamuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF national secretary for legal affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, has called on the party to pick up the pieces after the recent party and Government earthquakes and forge a united front that the June 10 by-election for Headlands calls for.
Cde Chinamasa said the ruling party should gear itself for an outstanding win in Headlands constituency.
Cde Christopher Chingosho, a war veteran and distinguished administrator, won the ticket to represent Zanu-PF in the election, having won the intra-party primary election pitting four other contestants.
Cde Chingosho is in line to replace Mr Didymus Mutasa as the legislator for Headlands which was orphaned following the former’s expulsion from Zanu-PF and recall from the National Assembly.
Cde Chingosho polled 3 557 votes. His closest rival was Cde Taurai William Chiripamberi who garnered 2 218 votes.
The three other candidates who include former Manicaland Provincial Governor, Cde Tinaye Chigudu, Cde Sheila Mahere-Nyagumbo and Cde Elizabeth Mukungatu polled 650, 659 and 444 votes, respectively.
There were 52 spoiled ballots.
The total vote cast was 7 580.
“It must be remembered that every Zimbabwean matters in our quest for victory in Headlands. We want everybody to rally behind our candidate. We should not leave anything to chance because the nation’s focus will be on Headlands,” said Cde Chinamasa.
“The massive turn-up in the primary election shows that the party is vibrant. The turnout is so encouraging when compared to other constituencies. The vote tally could have increased had voting been decentralised to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission polling station across the constituency. Those candidates who have fallen today, we want you to rally your supporters so that they throw their weight behind Cde Chingosho. You must be on the forefront, we do not want you to drag your feet because we want the party to win,” added Cde Chinamasa.
Voting in Headlands was conducted at a central point in the constituency’s 24 Zanu-PF administrative districts due to lack of resources.
Cde Chinamasa said Zanu-PF owes it to itself to revisit a formula that made it the party of the people at independence by treating changed and changing circumstances as opportunity to redefine, reshape and refine a revolution that must continue to answer to the command of the ordinary citizen. He said the mere fact that Zanu-PF remains the ruling party since independence in 1980 demonstrates that the values and beliefs of the party resonate with the majority.
“If we all give respect and trust to Zanu-PF, we would witness a situation where all would serve the revolutionary party faithfully as heritage for the future generation.
For now the stage has been set for an all-embracing social, economic and political emancipation of all those in Zanu-PF. This tide will see the party grow with the support of all,” said Cde Chinamasa.
Cde Chinamasa described Cde Chingosho’s victory as the fairest result given that he was the only Zanu-PF cadre with the temerity to challenge Mr Mutasa at a time he was hero worshipped as a demigod of Manicaland.
“He was the first to shake the tree and we are happy that he has emerged as a product of a democratic process,” said Cde Chinamasa.
Cde Chingosho, a top civil servant, has been challenging Mr Mutasa, but his efforts were in vain, as they were occasionally thwarted by the Zanu-PF Politburo, which often insisted that the then powerful Zanu-PF national secretary for administration should not be contested.
He was controversially disqualified in the 2013 Zanu-PF primary elections by the Politburo, then congested by the then Vice-President Dr Joice Mujuru’s foot soldiers, despite the district, provincial and national election directorates having recommended him to stand.
Mr Mutasa was the then only member of the Zanu-PF presidium who in 2013 had been challenged in the primary elections after former Zanu-PF national chairman and now party spokesman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo and Dr Mujuru sailed through unopposed.
Cde Chingosho’s campaign trail had destabilised Mr Mutasa and those aware of the political gymnastics in Zanu-PF were anxiously waiting to see how the party would react.
His supporters were bitter that the Politburo preferred a perennial non-performer in Mr Mutasa at the expense of dynamic principal director in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development.
“Those decisions pained me. Though I was being stubborn, I was genuinely trying to convey an informed message that Mr Didymus Mutasa had long lost the plot given his unrestrained quest for absolute power.
“I really do not understand why they protected him to the point of protecting him from being challenged within the party.
“As a result of the unwarranted favour, Mutasa presided over and haemorrhaged Headlands constituency. My heart bleed to this day and I am happy to have won the primaries, which is the first step in my journey to replace him in the National Assembly as MP for Headlands,” said Cde Chingosho.
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