via Chombo, Kasukuwere clash over by-election – New Zimbabwe 24/04/2015
ZANU PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo and the party’s political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere have clashed over the Harare East primary election which took place early this month.
This was revealed by the winning candidate Terrence Mukupe whose candidature was subsequently withdrawn because “he faces serious allegations”, making way for his rival Mavis Gumbo.
Mukupe this week filed an application with the Electoral Court challenging the order by ZANU PF chairperson Goodwills Masimirembwa, working on Chombo’s instructions, to withdraw his candidature for the June 10 parliamentary by elections.
In the primary elections which were conducted on 11 April Mukupe garnered 651 votes beating Gumbo who got 369 votes.
In papers filed at the Electoral Court Mukupe said Chombo threatened the nomination court’s presiding officer and, as a result, the officer rejected his (Mukupe) nomination papers which were signed by Kasukuwere.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Rita Makarau, Chombo, and Masimirembwa are cited as respondents.
“I was called in the nomination court after winning the election by some sympathizers where in the gallery I demanded to see the letter which Chombo was said to have written disqualifying my participation but up to date that letter has not been shown to me.
“I immediately phoned Mr Kasukuwere who was outside the country and he appointed an officer to confirm that I was the duly elected member of the party for Harare East constituency which was promptly furnished to Masimirembwa while the nomination court was in session.
“But Masimirembwa remained adamant that my candidature had been withdrawn by the party and confirmed his previous vows that I would not participate,” reads Mukupe’s court application.
“The presiding officer confirmed that my papers were in order and could not be withdrawn in the manner that had been done but had received threats and his life was in danger if she acted otherwise”.
“She received several calls from Chombo and adjourned the process for seven times before telling me that the decision to reject my nomination papers was now political as she had been threatened”.
Sources within the ZANU (PF)’s Harare provincial leadership said Mukupe was disqualified because he “belongs to the “generation 40”, a camp which they said is being led by Kasukuwere.
“The issue of the matter is that Kasukuwere is grooming a group of young people whom he is working with in their post Mugabe era and Mukupe happens to be seen as one of such people”.
“Chombo teamed up with Obert Mpofu and Goodwills Masimirembwa in this case and successfully disqualified Mukupe,” a source told Newzimbabwe.com.
Mukupe was one of Mpofu’s senior employees at his now defunct Allied Bank.
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