MASVINGO – Zanu PF intraparty wars don’t seem to be waning in Gutu East even after the harmonized elections with 14 party activists appearing in court yesterday for disrupting a rally addressed by senior party members, Lovemore Matuke and Yeukai Simbanegavi.
The 14 protested against the imposition of Benjamin Ganyiwa as Zanu PF candidate for Gutu East against George Vhengere who had won the party’s primary elections.
The accused are said to have made unprintable insults on Simbanegavi linked to her marital status. They also turned on Matuke leading to the cancellation of the rally. The incident happened on June 12, 2023, at Batanai Primary School grounds, Bhasera in Gutu.
Magistrate Mitchel Panavanhu yesterday postponed the trial to September 12, 2023.
The accused also lifted placards written ‘In Gutu East the MP is George Vhengere not Ganyiwa, sang songs and were riotous.
The 14 are Vasco Mutyavaviri (57), Bornface Mapingure (44), Asa Mahona (42), Kennedy Jongwe (48), Kudakwashe Ngavi (34), Edward Muori (40), Brighton Matiora (57), Absolom Madzikanda (49), Moreblessing Chigweremba (27), Precious Chinoona (31), Jetro Mutungwe (57), Tichavavamwe Rwodzi (49), Jacob Mapingure (40) and Restina Mazuru (45).
Vhengere went on to contest as an independent but lost to Ganyiwa in the election said to have been heavily rigged. All international observer missions including SADC have condemned the election as sham. – Masvingo Mirror
