Mujuru ally tops Mt Darwin poll

via Mujuru ally tops Mt Darwin poll – NewZimbabwe 26 January 2015

A CANDIDATE sponsored by Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to replace Joice Mujuru as MP for Mt Darwin West came third in the internal party poll with the ex-vice president pulling a shocker.

Caleb Karima, a Kasukuwere protégé, failed to land the ticket to represent Zanu PF in the March 27 by-elections after he managed just above 2,000 votes against the 4,000 polled by Barnwell Seremwe, the eventual winner and suspected Mujuru ally.

Despite pouring in cash and putting up a well-oiled campaign machinery for Karima, Kasukuwere failed to force party members in the constituency to vote for his candidate.

Mashonaland Central provincial chair, Dickson Mafios, confirmed that Seremwa, would represent Zanu PF in the forthcoming by-elections.

“We are currently at party headquarters submitting the results of the elections to the political commissar Cde Kasukuwere (Saviour). Yes Seremwe won, but I cannot talk much on that issue until the PC makes an announcement,” Mafios said.

According to insiders, the Mt Darwin West primary elections were a fight between Mujuru, Kasukuwere and Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena.

“Wadyajena funded Godfrey Tsenengamu to be the MP and he did so as a way to belittle Kasukuwere following their fall out in March last year. But Tsenengamu also failed and came second just over 3,000 votes,” said a party insider.

Tsenengamu is the provincial youth chair and was once suspended in the party in the run-up to the youth conference.

He was also a top Grace Mugabe and helped bring down Mujuru.

The provincial youth chair travelled with the First Lady countrywide and led attacks on Mujuru saying she was corrupt and wanted to assassinate Mugabe.

Mt Darwin West was declared vacant after Mujuru was been appointed a vice president in September 2013.

She however, lost her government post last year after being accused of corruption and plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe.

According to results availed, Seremwe received 4,625 votes while close contender, Tsenengamu got 3,653 with Karima managing 2640 votes and Khumbulani Banda, a council chairperson for Mt Darwin rural district council, receiving 2,027 votes.