Tracy Mutinhiri locks horns with ex-husband in poll

By Chengetayi Zvauya

HARARE – Will the adage “blood is thicker than water” hold in the unfolding elections as former Zanu PF women’s league boss, Tracy Mutinhiri (MDC) squares up with her ex-husband? 

Mutinhiri has been cleared by the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to stand as its candidate in a constituency she is likely to face-off with ex-husband Ambrose. She could also face Zanu PF heavyweight Sydney Sekeramayi.

Mutinhiri, a former Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister was expelled from Zanu PF in 2010 and subsequently lost her Marondera East Constituency seat.

After being dumped by the President Robert Mugabe-led party Mutinhiri joined the MDC in the same year and has since risen through the ranks to be one of the most visible women in the party.

A power deal in 2008 saw her former husband Ambrose — a retired brigadier-general moving to the West, leaving Tracy to take over the East with Sekeramayi becoming the senator for Marondera.

Yesterday, a happy, Mutinhiri told the Daily News on Sunday that she is ready to tussle it out with the Zanu PF veterans.

“I have been nominated to stand in Marondera East and I am ready to face any political opponent and I don’t know who I am going to face whether it is Brigadier Mutinhiri, I don’t know,” said Mutinhiri.

Apart from bracing herself for the two Zanu PF heavyweights, Mutinhiri says she is also readying to battle with the likes of churchman Lawrence Katsiru, a war veteran who led the farm invasions in 2000.

Mutinhiri who claims to be Zanu PF’s enemy number one because of her high profile defection, says her former comrades passionately hate her because of the close ties she has with Tsvangirai, who is also set to contest the presidential elections with Mugabe in elections that will be held anytime this year. Daily News