Zim: Zanu-PF heavyweights fall in primary elections – reports

2018-05-02 08:30

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF (File, Zanu-PF)

A number of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF heavyweights have reportedly fallen by the wayside in the party's primary elections.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's top adviser Christopher Mutsvangwa and Zanu-PF's national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri were some of those who lost in their constituencies. 

The report said that unconfirmed results showed that Mutsvangwa was humbled by Langton Mutendreya in Norton while Muchinguri lost to an unknown Joyce Bukuta in her bid to represent Nyanga in the ruling party's women quota.

The results were, however, yet to be announced by the ruling party's top officials. 

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa reportedly "admitted to the problems which marred his party's weekend elections", following a number of chaotic scenes.

Teething problems

Cases of violence, vote rigging and bribery were reported in some constituencies.

Mnangagwa, however, said that the problems that the ruling party faced came from "Zanu-PFs desire to professionalise its candidate selection process as well as deepening democratic processes within the party", a Daily News report said.

He said his party was preparing for the forthcoming elections which it would win resoundingly.

"Whatever teething problems we have experienced so far –we have noted them closely – we remain convinced that the democratic course we have started in the management of our party affairs is the correct one," Mnangagwa was quoted as saying.

Zimbabwe was expected to go to the polls before the end of July.

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