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Cde Shamu

Harare Bureau
Zanu-PF and MDC -T have fired all rebel members who filed their papers with the Nomination Court on Friday to contest as independents in the parliamentary and council polls set for 31 uly after losing at primary elections level. Although the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said the full list of the candidates contesting in the elections who successfully filed their papers with the Nomination Courts might be ready today, results on the ground reveal that scores of disgruntled members filed papers to stand as independents countrywide.

A number of Zanu-PF members among them former Manicaland provincial chairman Mike Madiro (Mutare North), Dorothy Mabika (Chipinge Central), Marian Chombo (Zvimba North), Daniel Garwe (Murehwa North), Richard Mavhunga (Marondera Central) Rumbidzai Mujuru (Chikomba Central), Machiri (Mutare Central), Shylet Uyoyo (Bikita South) and Jonathan Samukange (Mudzi South) filed their nomination papers last Friday as independent candidates.

MDC-T members also chose to stand as independent candidates after losing in primary elections some under controversial circumstances.
These include Mr Geoff Nyarota (Makoni South), Gerald Chitsa (Gutu North), Moses Mare (Chiredzi West), Felix Magalela Sibanda (Magwegwe), Regai Tsunga (Mutasa South), Kidwell Mujuru (Luveve-Cowdray Park), Samuel Sandla Khumalo (Pelandaba-Mpopoma), Carlos Mudzongo (Marondera Central), Cleopas Machacha (Kariba), Tonderai Kusemamuriwo (Magunje), Nicholas Chigwende (Hurungwe Central), Enerst Mudimu (Chegutu West), Christopher Maonera (Mhondoro-Mubaira) and Severino Chambati (Hurungwe West).

Scores of other officials who defied their parties might be known today.
Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu, yesterday said the rebels automatically dismissed themselves the moment they filed as independent candidates.

This is a standing rule Zanu-PF has been implementing for years.
“Anyone standing as an independent has automatically expelled himself or herself from the party. If they want to follow what Jonathan Moyo did in the previous election, which made him accepted back in the party, this time it is different,” he said.

Cde Shamu said Zanu-PF would not accommodate the rebels in the party again.
“Anyone contesting as independent will not be accepted back in the party. Some are going around masquerading as if they have the blessings of the party to participate in the elections as independent candidates. It is not true. People should completely shun them. Some of them are going around chanting the party slogan trying to identify themselves with Zanu-PF. They are applying naïve political gimmicks to mislead the electorate,” he said.
Prof Moyo himself made a passionate plea yesterday to Zanu-PF members who filed nomination papers as independent candidates to withdraw, branding his similar move in 2005 a “horrible and miserable” experience.

He said Zanu-PF members who opted to stand as independent candidates had made their point and “now they must make their party’s and people’s point by withdrawing their candidature, adding that being an independent is unwise, misguided and career threatening.

“I therefore really from a very profound sense of reflection based on my own unfortunate experience and on the poor performance of independents in the last seven elections, want to appeal to my esteemed comrades who have chosen to run as independents to think again and do so very hard and very objectively. I appeal to the comrades to withdraw their nominations while there is still time to do so. It would be very revolutionary for them to do so,” Prof Moyo told The Sunday Mail.

But Mr Samkange was adamant yesterday, insisting that he was the people’s choice in Mudzi South.
“I am campaigning right now as I speak to you. The President made it clear at conference that there should be no imposition of candidates and that all candidates must come from the people. The people want me and there is no doubt about that. Ndini ndakabva kuvanhu and should represent the party. Who is wrong me who is wanted by the people and one who imposes a candidate on the people? Zanu-PF is a people’s party and whoever imposed a candidate is the one who is wrong, not me,” he said.

Mr Samkange added: “I am saying vote President Mugabe, vote me as MP, vote Zanu-PF councillors and Senators. Vote Zanu-PF candidates under proportional (system). The only point of departure is that I am saying vote me in the House of Assembly. There is no splitting of votes at all.”
The MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora, described party members who opted to be independents as good riddance.

“There are two types of candidates who stood as independent. Candidates who did not succeed in primary elections and then chose to run as independent. In respect of those candidates, they expelled themselves from the party. The party does not owe them any duty anymore. They are actually opponents of the party. Such persons are good riddance because they could actually sponsor divisions while in the party. They are clear cut opponents of the party and how would you strategise with them. Strategising with them is like strategising with our opponent Zanu-PF,” Mr Mwonzora said.

The country is holdings harmonised elections on 31 July with five presidential candidates, President Mugabe (Zanu-PF), Mr Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T), Professor Welshman Ncube (MDC-T), Dr Dumiso Dabengwa (Zapu) and Mr Kisinoti Mukwazhe (ZDP) eyeing the highest office.