Zanu-PF primaries rescheduled

Prosper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF has rescheduled its primary elections to tomorrow to enable its candidates to register their nomination with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) the following day. ZEC has advised prospective parliamentary and council candidates from all parties to submit their nomination forms two days before the sitting of the Nomination Courts for checking in advance of the sitting of the Nomination Court to enable timeous rectification of errors, if any, in their nomination forms.

Participating parties are also required to submit their respective lists for the proportional parliamentary representation system and provincial council by the same day.

In an interview from Harare yesterday, Zanu-PF National chairman and head of the party’s National Election Directorate (NED), Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, said the primary elections, set for Wednesday, would now be held tomorrow.

“Given the position by ZEC that prospective parliamentary and council candidates are required to register their nomination at ZEC offices throughout the country on Wednesday, 26 June 2013, the Zanu-PF primary elections would now take place on Tuesday, 25 June 2013,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.

“The provincial election directorates are hereby mandated to run the primary elections in their respective provinces in a free and fair manner. The NED expects the final list of candidates in all categories by 10am on Wednesday, 26 June 2013.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said his office had communicated with the provinces concerning the changes in the date for primaries.

According to ZEC, the Nomination Court for presidential candidates will sit at the High Court, Court A, Mapondera Building in Harare while that of National Assembly candidates would sit at the provincial magistrates’ courts countrywide.

According to the Electoral Act, the Nomination Court should sit 14 days after the proclamation of dates for the holding of national elections.

In Bulawayo, aspiring candidates thronged the party’s provincial headquarters at Davies Hall in the morning where they had a discussion with the electoral committee ahead of tomorrow’s primaries.

Similar meetings were held across the provinces in the country with chairpersons saying they were ready for tomorrow’s internal poll.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South chairman Cde Andrew Langa said the provincial election directorate held a successful meeting with aspiring candidates in Gwanda.

“The meeting was meant to announce those who qualified to go for primaries as well as looking at any complaints. I am pleased to say we did not receive serious complaints within our candidates,” said Cde Langa.

“Most of them sailed through. However, there are some who did not qualify because of certain reasons but they did not show any remorse as they remained happy and expressed willingness to work with those who were successful.”

He said out of six senatorial seats in the province, three candidates remained uncontested.

These are Cde Khaya Moyo for Bulilima-Mangwe, Cde Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu for Insiza and Cde Ananias Nyathi for Matopo seat.

He said Cde Obedingwa Mguni from Mangwe District was the only uncontested candidate for the National Assembly out of 13 constituencies.
Cde Langa also said out of 162 wards 92 were not being contested.

“The verification process went smoothly and contesting candidates were seen sharing notes. My message to party members is that we are expecting a violent-free primary election.

“We are not expecting any skirmishes and I am certain that the election will be conducted peacefully and those who win will represent the party in the harmonised election,” he said.

Matabeleland North provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo also said candidates were geared for primaries tomorrow.

“We have concluded the verification of candidates in preparation for primaries on Tuesday. The process went well and tomorrow all district would deploy the polling agents to different polling centres,” said Cde Moyo.