By Dumisani Ndlovu
Six presidential aspirants have submitted their papers at the nomination court in Harare, marking the start of the general elections on August 23. The nomination court considered and accepted candidates for presidential, parliamentary, and local authority elections yesterday Wednsday 21 June 2023.
The presidential candidates include President Emmerson Mnangagwa (ZANU PF), Nelson Chamisa (CCC), Lovemore Madhuku (National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Trust Chikohora (Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development), Linda Masarira (LEAD), Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Saviour Kauaikuwere (Independent)
Zimbabwe parliamentary hopefuls also filed their papers yesterday before the nomination court. These include incumbent Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya, who is also the CCC National Organising Secretary, Former Minister of State for National Security, Owen Ncube, Minister of Local Governance, July Moyo, Francis Nhema, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Prof. Paul Mavima among other popular political figures.
Others who filed their papers include the former Deputy Minister of Local Government, Sesil Zvidzai as senator and the president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Takavafira Zhou an aspirant for Mberengwa Central legislator and Wellington Magura one of the youngest Zanu PF Central Committee Members. Magura is vying for the newly established Mkoba South Constituency where he is set to battle it out with John Kuka from CCC, MDC and other aspiring MPs from other parties.
Zimbabwe Socio-Economic Democrats (ZSD), The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) and ZAPU chickens out of Presidential race 21 Jun, 2023, citing various reasons chief among them being exorbitant charges nomination fees for the aspiring candidates whom their parties felt were not necessary, instead electing to rebuild its party membership and focus on the 2028 elections.
ZSD spokesperson, Macheme Nkhundla Nyahuma said the party is advocating for an election Sabbatical for 7 years of no elections by setting up a National Transitional Authority that he said will resolve political settlement, national dialogue and a transitional arrangement.
Scores of aspirants who spoke to Kwedu News hailed the nomination process, describing it as free, fair and smooth. However some disgruntled Zanu PF and CCC members who spoke to this publication complained about various reasons among them, imposition of candidates, hence threatening. Bhora Musango that will see ruling party members voting for the opposition and opposition parties voting for the ruling party in protest, in the general elections scheduled for August 2023.
Bhora Musango, a Shona language phrase which literally means “to deliberately kick the ball off the pitch, instead of scoring it”, was a clandestine campaign by some Zanu-PF leaders in the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections against voting for the party’s presidential candidate leader Robert Mugabe.
Kwedu Classics
Your story our story
Former Environment and Tourism Minister, Francis Nhema, Former Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, also former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Owen Ncube, former Minister of State for National Security at the nomination court yesterday.
