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Amos Midzi

Felex Share Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF has started receiving curriculum vitaes for candidates interested in representing the party in the Epworth parliamentary constituency by-election amid reports that 13 cadres have expressed interest to contest in the party’s primary polls.

The revolutionary party is expected to hold its primary elections soon, ahead of the September 19 poll.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Cde Amos Midzi in June, in a case of suspected suicide.

President Mugabe has set August 12 as the date the Nomination Court will sit at the Magistrate Court in Harare.

Zanu-PF Harare provincial commissar Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, said the province had started receiving the CVs in preparation for the primary elections.

“We are taking in the CVs from interested candidates and tomorrow (today), we will disclose the full list of candidates who have expressed interest in representing the party,” he said.

“The province will meet and look at the names and forward them to the national elections directorate where we will get guidance.”

He said Zanu-PF would retain the seat with a resounding victory.

“We have and continue to mobilise our supporters because we want to take all the urban seats, which have for long been in the hands of the MDC-T,” he said.

“Winning this seat will give us a good base ahead of the 2018 general elections.”

Some of the candidates who have expressed interest in the seat include Cdes Alfred Tome, Honour Taedzwa, Coxwel Chigwanha and Erick Pfumvuti.

The Epworth by-election will be held on the same day with two other by-elections in Mbire and Marondera Central that became vacant following the expulsion of Messrs David Butau and Ray Kaukonde for plotting to topple President Mugabe.

Elections were due in Mwenezi East on the same day but Zanu-PF’s Cde Joshua Moyo was nominated unopposed.

The seat was declared vacant after Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti was fired from Zanu-PF for his links to the Joice Mujuru cabal.

Zanu-PF has bagged all the by-elections that has come its way since the 2013 harmonised elections with the MDC-T failing to field candidates citing lack of electoral reforms.