Manicaland rejects Didymus Mutasa Cde Didymus Mutasa
Cde Didymus Mutasa

Cde Didymus Mutasa

Herald Reporters— 
Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa yesterday lost his Central Committee bid after failing to garner enough votes to keep his place in the powerful organ in elections held in Makoni District, amid allegations that he was at the forefront of a plot to assassinate President Mugabe. In Harare, Politburo members Cdes Tendai Savanhu and Charles Tavengwa, Cde Noah Mangondo, Cde Bonface Karoro, Cde Bright Banda, Cde Tsitsi Jadagu and Idah Mashonganyika had their applications for Central Committee posts rejected.

The group was accused of fanning factionalism and plotting to unseat the President at the party’s Sixth National People’s Congress slated for next week.
Cde Mutasa now waits to see if the President will include him among 10 members of the Central Committee he is entitled to appoint.

One has to be a member of the 245-strong Central Committee to be considered for a post in the Politburo, which is the secretariat of the Central Committee.
In Bulawayo, three Politburo members — Cdes Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Angeline Masuku and Absolom Sikhosana — suffered the same fate.
In Manicaland, another Politburo member Cde Munacho Mutezo also lost the Central Committee elections.

Most Politburo members who lost the elections were linked to Vice President Joice Mujuru who had roped them into her bid to topple the President.

In Makoni District, Cde Mutasa polled just 85 votes against Dr Joseph Made (163), Cde Florence Majachani (169), Cde Mandi Chimene (141) and Cde Patrick Chimanasa (177).

Cdes Made, Majachani, Chimene and Chinamasa went through since only four candidates were required from the district.
In Chimanimani, Cde Mutezo had 39 votes, while his rivals, Cde Joshua Sacco and Esther Chikuni who made it had 59 and 61 votes respectively.
Before the polls, Zanu-PF supporters in Chimanimani and Makoni tried to stop Cdes Mutasa and Mutezo from contesting, arguing that they were not fit to hold any high posts in the party because of their alleged involvement in the illegal regime change agenda.

In Makoni, a primary election had to be held to choose a candidate to represent Headlands after Cde Chris Chingosho had shown interest in the slot.
Although Cde Mutasa won the primary, Cde Chingosho refused to accept the outcome, saying the poll had been rigged.

In Zimunya-Marange former Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Cde Mike Madiro, whose suspension from the party was lifted, was voted as a Central Committee member alongside Cdes Chris Mushohwe, Fred Kanzama and Nyasha Chikwinya.

In Mutare, transport mogul Cde Isau Mupfumi retained his seat and was joined by academic Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba.
In Nyanga, former legislator Cde Paul Kanzama and Nyanga North National Assembly member Cde Hubert Nyanhongo were voted as the new Central Committee members.

In Buhera, Cdes Joseph Chinotimba, Saul Nzuma and William Mutomba sailed through, while in Chipinge, Cdes Morris Sakabuya, Win Mlambo and John Chirimambowa are the new office holders.
Results from Mutasa were not readily available at the time of going to press.

In Bulawayo, Cde Ndlovu contested in Area 3 where former Bulawayo provincial secretary for information and publicity Cde Michael Sikhosana and Cde Joseph Tshuma emerged as winners.

Cde Masuku lost in Area 5 where former Ambassador to South Africa Cde Phelekezela Mphoko, who is eying the Zanu-PF second vice presidency, and provincial secretary for finance Cde Charles Chiponda were voted in.

Cde Emmanuel Kanjoma and Politburo members Cde Tshinga Dube and Cde Joshua Malinga also won in Area 1.
In Area 4, Cde Absolom Sikhosana lost as former Bulawayo provincial chairperson Cde Killian Sibanda and former Bulawayo Mayor Alderman David Ndlovu were victorious.

In Area 2, Cdes Anna Moyo and Godfrey Malaba also made it into the central committee.
The 11 victorious Bulawayo province members join Cdes Mpehlabayo Malinga, Butholezwe Ngwenya, Sibongile Sibanda and Rosie Phiri who are members of the national youth and women’s’ league for a place in the central committee.

Those who made it on the women’s quota were Cdes Violet Ncube, Canisia Satiya, Atilia Mangoye Ebby Dube and Eylyss Nhowedza.
Bulawayo provincial affairs minister Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo made it to the central committee by virtue of her election as deputy secretary for women’s affairs at the recent Zanu-PF Women’s’ League conference.

Dr Ndlovu conceded defeat, while Cde Absolom Sikhosana was overheard saying to colleagues: “it happens in politics”.
In Matabeleland North, party bigwigs like Politburo members Dr Obert Mpofu, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Cde Cain Mathema, Cde Jacob Mudenda, Cde Thokozile Mathuthu and Cde Sithembiso Nyoni were elected unopposed.

In the Midlands, Politburo members Cdes Flora Buka and Francis Nhema, who had been disqualified by the provincial coordinating committee from participating in the Central Committee elections, are now eligible to take part in the poll after the Politburo approved their candidature.
The two had been accused of vote buying and fanning factionalism in the province.

The elections, which were last week postponed pending investigations, would be held today in Gokwe North for Cde Buka and Shurugwi for Cde Nhema.
In Gokwe North Cde Flora Buka would be battling it out against Cdes Edson Chiherenge, Leonard Chikomba, Timire Kapota, Tariro Mutingwende, Tafuma Pangira and Cephas Sindi, while in Shurugwi Cde Nhema would be competing against Cdes Simbanenduku Mumbengegwi, Emmanuel Fundira and Timothy Mhuri.

Zanu-PF Midlands provincial spokesperson, Cde Cornelius Mpereri said Cdes Nhema and Buka will participate in today’s elections following the directive from Politburo, while the chairpersons in Shurugwi who were allegedly ferried to Harare for an unsanctioned inter-district meeting by Cde Nhema would also be eligible to vote.

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