Chronicle Editor
Chronicle Reporters
ZANU-PF yesterday released the names of council and parliamentary candidates to contest in its primary elections scheduled for tomorrow countrywide.
The Senatorial constituencies has 10 candidates while the Women’s quota has 15 candidates and one candidate is eyeing the youth quota.
According to the list, Bulawayo North constituency has seven candidates, Lobengula-Magwegwe (4), Bulawayo Central (3), Mpopoma-Mzilikazi (3), Pumula (2), Entumbane-Njube (3), Pelandaba-Tshabalala (3), Nkulumane (2) and Emakhandeni-Luveve (2) Bulawayo South.
There will be no elections for Bulawayo South and Cowdray Park constituencies as the candidates; Professor Mthuli Ncube, Cde Raj Modi sailed through unopposed in their respective constituencies.
Prof Ncube is vying for the newly formed Cowdray Park constituency while Cde Modi is vying for a second term in Bulawayo South constituency.
Under local authority, District Co-ordinating Committee (DDC 1), 31 candidates were approved, DCC 2 (22), DCC 3 (18), DCC 4 (9) and DCC 5 has 15 candidates.
The results of the polls will be displayed at the polling stations and also conveyed to the Administrative District Command Centre, Provincial Command Centre and National Command Centre.
The ruling party’s Politburo member, Cde Elphas Mashaba, who will be overseeing the process in the province tomorrow, announced the list of the candidates at Davis Hall yesterday.
He urged candidates to uphold peace and ensure the culture of democracy continues to thrive within the revolutionary party.
“I would like to applaud all the aspiring candidates for campaigning peacefully. We have not received any cases of violence which is quite commendable. We expect to continue in that spirit through the whole process,” said Cde Mashaba.
He said a total of 68 000 people who are in the confirmed cell structures are expected to cast their votes at the 70 polling stations that will be set up in the province’s 29 wards.
Ten party members are vying for the senatorial seats with former Bulawayo Central shadow MP Cde Mlungisi Moyo, and Cde Mashaba being part of the new names on the list. Other Politburo members Cde Molly Mpofu and Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube are also vying for senatorial seats.
A total of 31 aspiring National Assembly candidates will battle it out for the 10 constituencies.
Cde Munashe Mtutsa is the only youth quota candidate while 14 women are vying for the women’s quota. Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube is seeking to retain the women’s quota seat for Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency.
There are 92 aspiring local authority candidates contesting for the province’s 29 wards.
The primaries are set for tomorrow in readiness for the harmonised national polls. Zanu-PF has set a target of five million votes for the 2023 harmonised polls.
It is only the National Command Centre which will announce official results.
The ruling party has already set 87 000 cells that have been verified, reaching a total of 4,5 million votes.
In the Midlands Province, a number of party heavyweights are being challenged and will square off against aspiring members of the National Assembly.
Polling stations are expected to open at 7AM and close at 4PM when vote counting is expected to commence.
Politburo member Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi announced the names of successful candidates who will contest in the primaries.
He said there are 28 constituencies in the province with primary elections being held in 22 constituencies as six candidates will not be challenged.
Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo and Gokwe-Kana legislator Cde Owen Ncube are uncontested in the primaries.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Professor Paul Mavima is also uncontested in Gokwe-Sengwa and legislators for Silobela and Zhombe constituencies Cdes Manoki Mthokozisi Mpofu, Edmore Samambwa.
Cde Energy Ncube will also be uncontested for the Kwekwe Central constituency following the disqualification of his challenger Cde Kandros Mugabe.
Mbizo Constituency will have a two-horse race between Cdes Vongaishe Mupereri and Moses Murada.
In Chirumanzu-Zibagwe Constituency, Zibagwe Rural District Council chairperson Cde Rodgers Nhari will contest incumbent Cde Prosper Machando.
There is also Cde Jacob Chokururama who will contest against the two big names in the constituency.
In Vungu Constituency the incumbent legislator Cde Omega Sibanda will face it off with miner Cde Brown Ndlovu, prominent Gweru lawyer Cde Forward Gundu and Cde Sokoluhle Ncube.
Gweru Urban Constituency will see party district spokesperson Cde Victor Maride contesting against Cdes Alex Mukwembi, Esau Natare, Zezai Makomo, Costain Mukanganiki and Elaga Tinarwo.
In Chirumhanzu South Constituency, incumbent and Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Cde Barbara Rwodzi will battle it out with Cdes Pedzisai Munanzwi and Regis Jabulani Maburutse.
Chiwundura Constituency has six candidates taking on each other namely Cdes Ranganayi Chauke, Charamba Celton, Sleiman Kwidini, Lydia Mudzamiri, Lindiwe Bidi and Vivian Maponga.
In Gokwe-Nembudziya Constituency the incumbent legislature Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena will square it off against former Minister Cde Flora Buka, Cde Elarm Mpofu and Godknows Manzombe.
Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency has the incumbent legislator Cde Tawanda Karikoga seeking re-election against Cde Costa Musandipa.
An interesting duel has been lined up in Mberengwa East where Cdes Hungwe Tasara, Coming Bhiri Hove, Makhosini Hlongwane, Hamadziripi Dube, Elisha Moyo, Definite Mpofu will face off against the incumbent MP Cde Marko Raidza.
The chairperson of the Mines and Minerals Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Cde Edmond Mkaratigwa is being challenged in the Shurugwi South Constituency by Cdes Alfred Makara, Martin Venge and Wilson Mhuri.
The Zvishavane-Runde constituency contest will feature Cde Cuthbert Mpame, Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Larry David Mavima and former Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Cde Fred Moyo.
Cde Mumbengegwi said training of presiding officers will be held today at the Zanu-PF Winery Convention Centre.
He said polling officers will also be ferried to their stations today.
“A record number of candidates running into thousands have submitted their CVs to contest in the primary elections, which was a welcome development for us as a democratic party. Some will contest and others will not for different reasons and that’s part of life,” said Cde Mumbengegwi.
He said there won’t be Senatorial Constituency primary elections as Cde Tsitsi Veronica Muzenda (Gweru), Dr Frederick Makamure Shava (Chirumhanzu) Cde Mirriam Makweya (Gokwe South) Engineer Daniel Mackenzie Ncube (Kwekwe), Cde Maybe Mbohwa (Gokwe North), Dr Joram Macdonald Gumbo (Mberengwa), Cde Dustan Francis Nhema (Shurugwi) are not being challenged.
Zanu-PF Politburo member, Cde Richard Ndlovu who is overseeing the election process in Matabeleland South, said preparations are in full swing in the province.
He said vehicles have been secured to deliver ballot boxes to various centres.
“We held a meeting today (yesterday) in Gwanda as part of efforts to ensure that all is in order in preparation for the primary elections. Tomorrow, we will be deploying ballot papers to all voting centres and we have engaged MPs and they will be providing vehicles for this cause,” said Cde Ndlovu
“We want to ensure that all is in order by Friday evening so that the voting process can start by 7AM on Saturday. Members of the party are eager to cast their votes.”
Cde Ndlovu urged party members from the province to maintain peace throughout the election process.
Online Reporter