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Mr Bhasikiti

George Maponga in Masvingo
Embattled former Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti of ZimPF is allegedly campaigning nicodemusly, despite his recent public announcement claiming to have withdrawn from this Saturday’s Mwenezi East parliamentary by-election.

Mr Bhasikiti filed his nomination papers to contest the by-election, but a few weeks ago chickened out, announcing that he had withdrawn his candidature after alleging that Zanu-PF was intimidating his supporters and using food to buy votes.

He was due to face businessman Cde Joosbi Omar of Zanu-PF, Mr Turner Mhango of Free Zimbabwe Congress Party and Mr Welcome Masuku of NCA in the by-election. The poll was necessitated by the death of Zanu-PF Mwenezi East National Assembly member Cde Joshua Moyo in December last year.

Mr Bhasikiti is allegedly trying to catch Zanu-PF by surprise, amid reports that his purported withdrawal from the by-election was a trick to make the ruling party relax ahead of the poll.

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial secretary for administration Cde Ailess Baloyi yesterday confirmed having received reports of Mr Bhasikiti’s covert campaigning in Mwenezi East.

“We have been receiving information that he (Mr Bhasikiti) is secretly campaigning in an attempt to cause an upset on Zanu-PF, but we are not moved,” he said.

“We got information that he was spotted in places such as Neshuro.’’

Cde Baloyi said the ruling party was not resting on its laurels because Mr Bhasikiti, its main rival in the poll, announced that he was withdrawing.

He said the ruling party had since rolled out polling station-based campaigning across all 62 voting centres in Mwenezi, which he said was an indication that Zanu-PF was not taking anything for granted.

Mr Bhasikiti dismissed allegations that he was covertly campaigning, saying those claiming that were “hallucinating”.

“They (Zanu-PF) are haunted by Bhasikiti because they know the level of support I had before I decided to withdraw from the by-election,” he said.

“I never held any rallies and (before withdrawing) I was doing door-to-door campaigning, which was very effective and Zanu-PF knows that.’’

Mr Bhasikiti denied allegations that he withdrew from the poll belatedly, saying his name would not appear even on the ballot papers come voting day.

Addressing a Zanu-PF rally to drum up support for Cde Omar at Avhunga Secondary School in Mwenezi on Saturday, the party’s secretary for administration Dr Ignatius Chombo tore into Mr Bhasikiti, describing him as a “confused political charlatan”.

Dr Chombo said the ruling party was aware that Mr Bhasikiti was involved in secret campaigning at night despite his public posturing claiming to have withdrawn from the by-election.

There are 56 000 registered voters in Mwenezi East and Dr Chombo said the ruling party leadership in Masvingo should target to garner at least 38 000 votes in the by-election.