Zanu PF has been thrown into turmoil in Matabeleland South province after Senator Japhet Dube was barred from contesting the forthcoming polls despite overwhelmingly winning primary elections. The party has opted to field a losing female candidate in line with its proportional representation system.
Report by Albert Ncube
Scores of Dube’s supporters could be seen milling outside the party’s offices yesterday afternoon hoping that the provincial leadership, which was locked in a meeting, would reverse its decision.
Zanu PF provincial chairman Andrew Langa announced the decision at a meeting held in Gwanda on Wednesday.
Dube, who won by a landslide 5 472 votes has been replaced by unpopular former Senator Alma Mkhwebu, who garnered a paltry 1 761 ballots.
Contacted for comment, Dube registered his displeasure with the party’s decision saying he had been informed after winning that the seat was reserved for a woman.
“I am the incumbent senator and have won the primaries, but I am shocked and saddened by the decision,” he said. “The party leadership has been calling for democracy, but it has not been practised here.
“Ever since joining politics in 1980, I have never lost an election, but Zanu PF remains my party.”
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