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Itai Mazire Mash East Correspondent
Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial leadership has forwarded the final list of candidates interested in contesting the May 5 primary elections to the party’s national elections commission for vetting.

In an interview yesterday, provincial chairperson Cde Biggie Matiza said the submitted final list showed the level of democracy within the party’s structures.

“As the provincial leadership, we have sent our final list of aspirants for the primary elections to the party’s headquarters in Harare,” said Cde Matiza.

“We have over 2 000 aspiring candidates in Mashonaland East province who will battle it out for the various positions.”

Cde Matiza said the list would be tabled before the national commission for verification to select candidates who meet the stipulated party requirements.

“The final list is now before the party’s national commission,” he said.

“Once the due process is complete, we expect the list to be sent back to the province by the weekend. So, we will announce the final vetted names of the candidates who will contest in the May 5 primary elections.”

Cde Matiza could not be drawn in naming prominent party members who have thrown their names into the hat.

“Of course, there are bigwigs who will battle it out with Young Turks and women in their current constituencies,” he said.

“There are new faces from both the Youth and Women’s Leagues who also want to play a pivotal role in steering the ideologies of the party. At the moment we cannot divulge the names of those who have submitted their CVs.

“We have noted that doing so will result in unnecessary clashes amongst party members.

‘‘Once we get the green light from the national commission, we will officially announce the names of those who have qualified to square it off in the election.” Aspiring candidates are required to be well-versed with national issues and have been part of district structures for a period of five years.

Apart from being fully paid- up party members, the aspirants should also be registered voters and above 21 years of age.