Minister And Politburo Member Flee ZANU PF Mob Over Election Rigging
On Saturday, Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima and politburo member Daniel Mackenzie Ncube fled an angry ZANU PF mob protesting the alleged rigging of the ruling partyโs primary elections in Gokwe-Chireya.
The meeting was intended to reconcile the constituency after chaotic primary polls that saw Torerai Moyo announced as the winner despite losing to Jeremiah Ndukulani.
ZANU PF supporters accused Local Government Minister July Moyo and ex-State Security Minister Owen โMudhaโ Ncube of rigging the internal party polls in favour of Moyo. Chaos erupted when Moyo was introduced as a parliamentary candidate. Chief Chireya addressed the supporters:
When you see him (Mavima), you see the President, when you talk to him, you talk to the President. So I am imploring you to respect and listen to him.
We are all in Zanu PF and I know the committed that I invited are well-behaved. Booing each other happens, but at this party meeting, we came to hear what the minister has to say.
I am the one who invited him to address you. He came here to see the chief, but I asked him to address my people. So why are you booing him before he finishes addressing you?
Despite Chief Chireyaโs attempt to calm the crowd, Mavima was forced to leave after being heckled by angry ZANU PF party members.
The party has been struggling to gather crowds for campaign meetings in the Midlands following chaotic primary polls, NewsDay reported. ZANU PF youth league secretary Tino Machakaire pleaded with party factions to unite ahead of the August polls, addressing a ZANU PF youth inter-district meeting in Zvimba South. He said:
Now that the primary elections are over, those that won and the ones who didnโt make it, itโs time to unite towards the goal to support President Mnangagwa in the upcoming harmonised elections for we are one people.
He was accompanied by his deputy John Paradza, despite reports of conflict between them.
Zvimba South legislator Phillip Chiyangwa urged party supporters to back Dexter Malinganisa, who defeated him in the primaries. Several officials, including Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, and Central Committee member Mike Chimombe, also attended the meeting.
The ZANU PF national security department recently ordered all provinces to prohibit party supporters from using WhatsApp and other social media platforms.ย The ban on social media platforms for allegedly fueling divisions has caused controversy within the ruling ZANU PF party structures ahead of the upcoming elections.
