Don’t lose heart, disqualified candidates told 

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Zanu-PF prospective candidates who were disqualified ahead of the party’s primary elections set for May 5, should accept the outcome of the vetting process and remain committed and loyal to the party and presidential candidate President Mnagwagwa, Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

Addressing a provincial coordinating committee meeting here over the weekend, Cde Ziyambi defended the committee’s resolve to get rid of pretenders.

He said the provincial leadership will deal with feigned loyalty to the party and its constitution.

The PCC meeting was called to consider curricula vitae submitted by aspiring candidates in the harmonised elections to be held by August.

The meeting also received the list of candidates cleared by the party’s provincial executive committee ahead of the primary elections.

“What we were told to consider above all things is loyalty to the party Zanu-PF. What has happened over the years is that members have feigned loyalty to the party and the constitution, but giving in to individuals. We all need to repent,” he said.

Cde Ziyambi said the feigned loyalty became evident when members failed to make difficult, but necessary decisions with others disappearing only to resurface when “the dust settles”.

He said Zanu-PF needs members who will advance its cause without wavering, saying the forthcoming elections bring together loyal members and those with mixed loyalty.

“What is happening with this election is that we have wheat and chaff. It’s very difficult sometimes to identify who is with the President and the party.

“Some among us who are here are still in touch with those who were expelled. Others still have meetings under the cover of darkness,” he charged.

Through the selection process, Cde Ziyambi said, Zanu-PF needs to choose cadres who are prepared to carry forward its development agenda.

“We are not looking at people who offer only the number of years they have been in the party, but have nothing that advances the development agenda.

“When we select people to represent us, we need to point to tangible things after their five-year terms lapse. We want to say when these people took office, Zimbabwe has moved from here to there not people who seek employment,” he said.

Cde Ziyambi said party members seeking office should do so to serve the people and not personal interests.

He said the vetting process to select candidates in the primaries would be difficult, but the provincial leadership had submitted all CVs to the party’s National Elections Directorate.

“I would like to appeal to people that this is not the end of the road.

“People are expected to put the interests of the party ahead of their own,” he said.T

he province, during the weekend, came up with a list of candidates to contest the party’s primary elections.

However, several party leaders in the province were nominated uncontested and will represent Zanu-PF in the forthcoming harmonised elections.

Central Committee member Cde Philip Chiyangwa was unopposed in Zvimba South while Cde Ziyambi will automatically represent the party in Zvimba West after no one challenged for the seats.

Provincial youth chairman Cde Vengai Musengi was also unopposed in Chegutu West while Politburo member Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa was uncontested for the Norton candidacy.