CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) president, Nelson Chamisa has reportedly ordered that internal processes to choose a parliamentary candidate for Chinhoyi constituency be redone.
The nomination exercise is scheduled to be conducted afresh this Saturday, making Chinhoyi the only constituency countrywide to repeat the process.
Sources within the opposition movement told NewZimbabwe.com the initial nomination process was allegedly blighted by vote-buying and manipulation, particularly by sitting legislator, Peter Mataruse.
The incumbent MP, a medical doctor by profession, is seeking a third term in office despite earlier hinting he would not contest to retain the position.
Other candidates vying to represent CCC are frontrunner Leslie Mhangwa and incumbent Ward 8 Councillor Mukudzei Chigumbura, who doubles as CCC Makonde Cluster leader.
“Information was relayed to Champion-In-Chief Nelson Chamisa that Mataruse had become unpopular among the electorate, but used money to influence the outcome of the just-ended candidate nomination process which seemed to paint him the preferred candidate,” said a CCC insider.
“In order to ensure the opposition doesn’t lose the seat to Zanu-PF by fielding an unpopular horse, Chamisa instructed that the process be revisited to allow a free and fair nomination exercise.
“There is popular sentiment that Mataruse has run his race having served two consecutive five-year terms as MP. Besides, during his term he was not vocal enough to articulate issues affecting his constituency which struggles with development inertia and high unemployment.”
Repeated efforts to get comment from CCC national deputy spokesperson, Gift ‘Ostallos’ Siziba were fruitless by time of publishing.
During recent candidate manifesto presentations held at the party’s offices in Chinhoyi, Mhangwa, an accomplished engineer, said he would tap into the youth dividend by offering life skills in order to secure resounding victory for Chamisa and CCC.
Chigumbura, a career politician, highlighted he aims at leveraging on his experience within the municipality to help resolve service delivery challenges, among others.
Source – newzimbabwe
