By Tatenda Mabasa | Mutare Bureau |
MUTARE – Factionalism ripping MDC-T and Zanu PF apart in Makoni Central could gift the seat to Mavambo/Dawn/Kusile leader Dr Simba Makoni.
Makoni opted out of the presidential race for his home constituency, as disgruntled primary election losers are condemning their party nominees and tilting their support bases in favour of the former finance minister.
Dr Makoni will face Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Patrick Sagandira, whose candidatures in Zanu PF and MDC-T are being fiercely contested by supporters of losing legislative aspirants Basil Nyabadza and Grace Kwinjeh, respectively.
Kwinjeh through her campaign manager Tazviona Marima, who recently lodged a public violence report that led to the arrest and present incarceration of Sagandira, is advising their supporters to vote for Dr Makoni.
The Kwinjeh faction is claiming that Sagandira’s candidature has been withdrawn by MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai in favour of the former Zanu PF politburo official.
In Zanu PF, the faction loyal to Didymus Mutasa fronted by groundnuts farmer Nyabadza, is more comfortable with Dr Makoni than Chinamasa, who together with Oppah Muchinguri are tussling against the Presidential Affairs minister over control of the Manicaland province.
Dr Makoni and Mutasa are relatives, share the Nyati totem, but belong to different dynasty houses embroiled in bitter war over the Makoni chieftaincy.
Manicaland has been infested with Mnanganwa loyalists, and Mutasa and his troops from the Mujuru faction, are rolling a bhora musango (Dr Makoni) campaign trail, targeting Chinamasa.
Nyabadza and Kwinjeh lost in intra-party polls, but are refusing to accept defeat alleging that electoral fraud played a role in their narrow losses, State weekly mouthpiece The Manica Post, reported Friday.
Nehanda Radio understands the two are telling their supporters to vote for their respective parties’ presidential candidates and Dr Makoni for the lower house.
Chinamasa has accused Nyabadza and Mutasa of deliberately refusing to acknowledge his victory with the intention of throwing logs in his campaign trail.
“It is their strategy. Don’t you see it’s their strategy? They are playing a bhora musango. They are bitter that I defeated them. I won the ticket (to represent the party), and I see no reason why they are crying foul,” Chinamasa was quoted as having said.
Claims by Chinamasa were on Thursday afternoon collaborated by faceless character Baba Jukwa, who claimed that Mutasa was out to destroy Chinamasa and former intelligence supremo and Zanu PF central committee member Shadreck Tongesai Chipanga, who is eyeing the Makoni senatorial seat.
Baba Jukwa, whose numerous disclosures of cardinal Zanu PF secrets have come to pass wrote on his timeline:
“Today, Didymus Mutasa and Amai Joyce Mujuru have held a meeting at the Chisipiti home of the Vice President. The meeting started at 10am and ended an hour and some minutes later.
They were also strategising how they will destroy all Mnangagwa candidates that have infested Manicaland and Mutasa has agreed that he will literally decampaign Patrick Chinamasa and Tongesai Chipanga in the Makoni constituencies.
“They agreed that the mission should start soon after the Zimbabwe Grounds Star Rally of Friday. Mutasa said he will never accept another bull in his bedroom. Chakatsva mu Manicaland. Just check from Monday when Mutasa will roll out the anti Chinamasa campaign.”
A few hours later, Kwinjeh took her campaign to her facebook timeline announcing that MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai has intervened in the Makoni Central fiasco by ordering the withdrawal of Sagandira’s candidature.
Kwinjeh insinuated that the MDC-T would rally behind Dr Makoni’s candidature in reciprocation of his withdrawal and backing of Tsvangirai’s presidential bid against President Mugabe.
“Just spoke to my campaign manager, Mr Marima, there are new developments that will make lovers of justice and democracy happy!!!! Join me friends the highest authorities considered our petition and indeed we have been vindicated, in Makoni Central, saying thank you to the people of Makoni Central who stood by me through the difficult times.
“We have built a bond and a relationship; I will continue to serve you!!! Thanking the Almighty God who promises to be with us even when we walk through the fire, that the battle is His alone. Technically I cannot stand anymore for this election, but Mr Sagandira will not stand either.
“The party has a solution (Dr Makoni) to keep the seat, which I have agreed to. Thank you friends for your prayers and solidarity!!! I know I will never walk alone!!! Thank you to President Morgan Tsvangirai and the party leadership for hearing our cries!! Bless you!!!!”
Though efforts to contact Dr Makoni were fruitless, an MDK official could neither deny nor confirm the deal.
“Pane zviri kumbobikwa, I will soon update you,” said the official.
Sagandira’s manager Zepheniah Mberikunashe said the Kwinjeh camp was made up of rebels without a cause.
“Those are desperate attempts of a dying horse. We are in the race, Sagandira is in the run, and he will be the next MP. Theirs is a rebellion campaign. Dr Makoni filed his papers on an MDK, not MDC-T ticket,” he said.
MDC-T provincial spokesman Pishai Muchauraya said it would be calamitous for his party to impose Dr Makoni ahead of Sagandira, who was given the mandate to stand by the people.
