Central Committee elections by mid-week

via Central Committee elections by mid-week | The Herald 24 November 2014

The Zanu-PF Politburo on Saturday ordered all its provinces to conclude nominations and election of Central Committee members by mid this week.The meeting also agreed on a raft of changes to the party’s constitution, including increasing number of Central Committee members to 300 and empowering the party’s First Secretary to appoint his deputies, together with Politburo members.

The changes, though agreed in principle, still require ratification of the Central Committee which is likely to meet before end of the week for them to be effective.

Sources that attended the meeting told The Herald yesterday that names of those that win in the Central Committee elections would be submitted to the Politburo on Wednesday for approval.

“It was agreed that all elections relating to the Central Committee should be completed by mid week,” said the source. “After the elections, the names still have to come back to the Politburo for approval.”

Some of the provincial chairperson that spoke to the Herald yesterday said that they would be able to meet the deadline set by the Politburo.

Mashonaland East acting provincial chair Cde Phenias Chihota said his province would conduct the elections today.

“Everything is now in place and tomorrow (today) we will conduct the elections,” he said. “By end of day tomorrow we will have the final list of the winners.”

In Mashonaland Central, the elections would be held tomorrow.

Acting provincial chairman Cde Wonder Mashange said they received and vetted CVs of all aspiring Central Committee members yesterday after which they would conduct the elections on Tuesday.

Acting provincial chair for Harare Cde Christopher Chigumba said they would meet as the provincial elections directorate today to finalise the list of prospective Central Committee members.

‘‘We are meeting tomorrow (today) as the PED,” he said. “We hope to conduct the elections this week and we will submit the list of winners to the National Elections Directorate.”

The final list of Central Committee members from all provinces would be endorsed by the party’s Congress next week.