ZANU PF district elections failed to kick off in Banket Ward 22 Tuesday after chaos broke out amid haggling over the authenticity of the voters’ register.
Trevor Makuhwa and the Banket Local Board chairperson, councillor Never Hutepasi are both eyeing the Zanu PF district chair position.
Party provincial member, Chrispen Saidi is popularly known as Kadhoza, reportedly hired youths to disrupt the polls after it emerged voters from the camp routing for Makuhwa were not appearing on the list of eligible voters.
On Tuesday morning, scores of aspiring voters were left frustrated as the hired hoodlums misrepresented that elections had been postponed, when in fact no deferment had been announced.
NewZimbabwe.com publication established two party functionaries, Brian Chaleka and Trust Bandasi ordered voters to leave the polling station.
Deputy Information Minister Kindness Paradza, who is leading presiding officers for Zvimba district, later arrived and was welcomed by the brewing storm.
In a bid to pacify the warring camps that raised complaints about the omission of eligible voters, Paradza suggested scrapping the use of the contested voters’ roll.
Sources told NewZimbabwe.com, Paradza’s proposal was resisted before the deputy minister proposed everyone present should vote, which was also shot down by the restive Zanu PF members.
Said the source: “Paradza proposed we do away with the register, but the contesting sides also refused thereby forcing an impasse. At the end, no elections were held.”
Makuhwa is challenging the voters’ list insinuating the just-ended restructuring exercises was flawed.
Sensing further chaos, Paradza exercised his discretion and postponed the elections for seven days.
The move elicited mixed reactions from members with a handful happy whilst the majority expressed dismay.
Unconfirmed reports say Zvimba South lawmaker-cum-businessman, Phillip Chiyangwa is supporting Hutepasi, whom he allegedly gave US$500 to buy votes.
However, to thwart Chiyangwa’s shenanigans, a meeting was allegedly called at Saidi’s farm Sunday where a plot to disrupt the elections was hatched.
Meanwhile, Garikai Jumbo won the chairperson post in Ward 23 after polling 175 votes against ward councillor Richard Muganhiri’s 65 votes with Joseph Imedi tallying 53 votes.
Voting commences this Wednesday in Makonde district where ugly scenes of contested outcomes are likely to take centre stage, particularly in wards 2 and 4.
