GORDEN Chanda, the Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Gokwe-Sesame constituency- who once hogged the media limelight for extorting villagers and stealing food aid a couple of years ago- has been accused by ruling party sources of working on a ploy to sabotage programmes that are being held under the banner of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
Insiders privy to the goings-on in the day-to-day running of the revolutionary party’s business in the Midlands said Chanda, who was understood to have strong ties with the late humiliatingly deposed former Zanu PF leader, Robert Mugabe, has been sabotaging programmes that are being spearheaded by the incumbent Zimbabwe leader and his wife, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in the province.
“He (Chanda) is becoming an impediment to our collective pursuit to ensure the 5 million votes for Dr E.D Mnangagwa who is our presidential candidate in this year’s harmonised elections,” an impeccable source who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity, said.
According to the source, Chanda has also been snubbing events that were being graced by Mnangagwa and the First Lady in the Midlands Province.
He has also been allegedly derailing programmes that were being held by the Gokwe South District Coordinating Committee (DCC).
“It is quite worrisome that the MP has not only been working against the current DCC, he has also been sabotaging the First Family and this is cause for concern. During Amai (Mnangagwa)’s Gotanhanga programme at Chief Njelele’s courtyard in Gokwe, she was conspicuous by Chanda’s absence at the event that was attended by virtually all the top party officials from Gokwe South district”.
It is also alleged that Chanda snubbed last weekend’s ceremony where thousands of party officials and supporters converged at Lundi Primary School in Zvishavane, under Chief Mapanzure, to celebrate the philanthropic activities that were being conducted by the First Lady.
The Mapanzure area is also President Mnangagwa’s native village.
“When others were in Zvishavane to celebrate Amai’s indelible footprints in philanthropy, we understand that Chanda converged an unsanctioned meeting at Nemangwe CMB (Cotton Marketing Board) where he addressed a handful of rogue supporters, telling them to vote for himself- and not the President- in the forthcoming harmonised elections. Something should be done to ensure that his wayward traits are halted as soon as possible,” another source added.
In 2020, Chanda was at the center of controversy amid reports that he, together with Ward 13 Councillor Georgina Chirongoma, had used their positions to solicit a meeting with the village heads and asked them to collect $5 from about 13 000 households in the ward.
Chanda and Chirongoma apparently told the village heads that the money would be used for the construction of Gande Clinic in the ward.
A total of $7 091 was collected and given to the pair by the village heads.
It then emerged that the clinic was in fact being funded by Gokwe South Rural District Council thus exposing the duo’s deceit.
On the other hand, Chirongoma is said to have gone to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Gokwe depot and collected 3 200 bags which she claimed was for food relief.
In turn, Chirongoma allegedly concealed the other 120 bags upon declaration and took them for herself.
The police recovered some of the maize at her house.
Zwnews
