SHANNISE DZOBO
MASVINGO–Smear campaign and anxiety grips Masvingo Urban ahead of final candidate selection for the right to represent the Citizens Coalition for Change in the forthcoming harmonised elections later this year.
The final candidate selection has been put on hold and this has heightened anxiety among aspiring councillors who are now accusing each other of being Johnny come lately.
One of the candidates who spoke to The Midweek Watch on condition of anonymity said that Masvingo Urban has too many ‘mafikizolo’ with no visible track record of the ‘democratic struggle’ and the old guard is likely to bite the dust if what is happening is anything to go by.
“We are in a big quandary as Masvingo Urban wards are flooded with new faces that want to get into council through CCC and its very disappointing because the old cadres that have been in the party for years fighting the democratic struggle are being sidelined,” said the aspirant.
“There is rumor that CCC has been heavily infiltrated by former or current Zanu PF members as we suspect that the new faces are now being funded by the ruling party to bus people leaving the old cadres without money no chance to win in the candidates final selection process to be done on a later on,” he added.
The source went on to state out that in Ward 1 there are 13 candidates vying for that post with people who came from other parties trying their luck with CCC, in Ward 2 there are two candidates namely Advocate Frank Chirairo and the current councilor Roki Kamuzondo and in Ward 5 is said to have two candidates allegedly without traceable background.
Ward 7 has Masimba who has been in the party for years is now battling Struggle Nyahunda who was allegedly once in Joyce Mujuru’s party, ward 8 there is Advocate Owen Mafa.
In Ward 9 there is long serving opposition stalwart, Paul Rimai battling the position with transport mogul Bernard Chokuda and Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Association board chairman, Thomas Mbetu.
