ZANU PF officials in Gweru were on Sunday reportedly forced to call off scheduled primary elections for Ward 5 in Senga after party members failed to agree on the voting criteria.
BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
Zanu PF is holding the primaries in wards 5 and 11 to choose candidates for a pending by-election.
The two seats fell vacant after two MDC-T councillors, Moses Marecha (Ward 5) and Albert Chirau (Ward 11) were dismissed on August 3 after being found guilty of corruption and abuse of council funds following an investigation instituted by former Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo.
Ex-councillor Simon Chapukira and Kwanisai Mafa, who is an assistant librarian at the Midlands State University were set to lock horns in the Ward 5 primary elections.
According to sources, the elections were called off after party members accused each other of trying to smuggle ineligible voters to participate in the polls.
“There were serious arguments as party candidates accused each other of busing people to vote for them,” a source said. “Mafa was accused of busing people from MSU, where he works and this did not go down well with Chapukira before tempers flared.”
Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mpereri was not available for comment, but a party official said the primary elections had been rescheduled for today.
