/ 5 July 2013

Disgruntled Zanu-PF rebels stand their ground

Ignatius Chombo’s ex-wife Marian will stand against him as an independent candidate.
Ignatius Chombo’s ex-wife Marian will stand against him as an independent candidate. (Shepherd Tozvireva)

The politburo, Zanu-PF's highest decision making body, which laboured in marathon meetings that lasted into the night compiling a list of "rules and regulations" for the internal polls, is now baying for the blood of the independent candidates, whom it warned it would automatically expel from the party.

The politburo took its time crafting rules to ensure all members would be happy and there would be no challenges to the results.

Political observers said the primary elections held last week had brought to the surface divisions that party officials have been trying to keep under wraps.

"Some of those who lost the primary elections have pulling power among their supporters and can use those votes against the party and President Robert Mugabe as a way to vent their anger," said Dumisani Nkomo, a political analyst.

Webster Shamu, Zanu-PF's national commissar, whose task involves mobilising party support at grassroots levels for the party, announced the verdict against those who would be standing as independent candidates in the coming election.

Independent candidates warned
"Anyone standing as an independent has automatically expelled himself or herself from the party … Anyone contesting as an independent candidate will not be accepted back in the party," he said.

Some of those who had initially announced their decision to contest as independent candidates such as Mike Madiro, the former Manicaland governor accused of pocketing donations from diamond companies meant for Zanu-PF's conference last year, developed cold feet after Shamu read out the riot act.

"I made the decision that Zanu-PF is bigger than individuals. Hence it is important that Zanu-PF as a party goes into the elections united. If we are not united, we risk dividing votes that are due to Zanu-PF," Madiro said.

"I realise those who are persecuting me have an agenda and by standing as an independent ­candidate, I will be playing into their hands."

Madiro denies the charges that he looted party funds.

However, other contestants have vowed not to back down from the contest, including Marian Chombo (Zvimba North), Jonathan Samkange (Mudzi South), Dorothy Mabika (Chipinge South), Rumbidzai Mujuru (Chikomba Central) and Shylet Moyo (Bikita South).

Marian vs Ignatius Chombo
Marian is the former wife of Ignatius Chombo, the local government minister, and is challenging her ex-husband for the Zvimba North constituency.

She cited "unfair treatment" during the primary elections as the reason for loss to Chombo.

But the face-off is likely to be more motivated by personal vendettas after Marian, through the courts, claimed a huge stake of her husband's wealth during their divorce in 2012.

Court papers filed by Marian during the divorce proceedings revealed that her ex-husband owned properties in Harare, prime land in the city and its outskirts, as well as several farms and luxury vehicles. The two settled the matter in court.

John Mafa, the Mashonaland West provincial chairman, criticised Marian for contesting as an independent. He said her actions were sowing divisions in the party.

Losing candidates besieged the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare last week claiming vote-rigging and questionable winning margins that did not match voter turnout.

"We do not encourage people to stand as independent candidates because even if one is not satisfied with the way things went, they should swallow their pride and accept that their time will come. There are many other ways of expressing disappointment through the internal party channels," said Mafa.

Political turncoat Jonathan Moyo said: "It is unfortunate, unwise, misguided and career-threatening to those concerned."

He stood as an independent candidate twice in the 2005 and 2008 parliamentary elections.

Moyo made an appeal to his peers to think twice before standing as independents. He rejoined Zanu-PF in 2009.