ZANU PF losing candidate blames it on ‘Bhora Musango’

A losing ZANU PF candidate in the December 2023 by-elections Dzingai Kamamba claims that deep-seated factionalism in the party contributed to his loss last year.

Kamamba, who lost the Mpopoma-Mzilikazi constituency to the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Charles Moyo in the by-election, has since written to the party leadership expressing his concerns.

Kamamba confirmed authoring the letter yesterday, adding that he had not received a response from the provincial leadership.

By-elections in several constituencies were held after the self-imposed CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabango recalled scores of elected legislators saying they had ceased to be party members.

In his letter, Kamamba expressed concern over the bhora musango campaign, which led to a poor voter turnout.

The letter to provincial chairperson Jabulani Sibanda, Area 1 leadership in Mpopoma-Mzilikazi constituency and the commissariat department, said the de-campaign started on December 6 when polling agents were undergoing training at Sobukhazi High School.

He alleged that there was chaos at the training when his detractors invited hordes of people to disturb the programme.

“After failing to control the mob, we called the central committee member who led the constituency Esnat Moyo. On arrival she ordered everyone to go to the meeting venue for Mziba district,” Kamamba wrote.

He said several members vowed not to participate in the elections or not to vote for Zanu PF as they did in the August 2023 harmonised elections.

Kamamba said Moyo produced the agents list from the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) 1, insisting that it had been produced with the help of the district commissar.

“To confuse the situation, in the list they included some people already on the original list done by the district. At the end, the commissar was summoned and she only acknowledged the list from the DCC1 office,” he wrote.

Kamamba said the move was meant to de-campaign the party.

“At the rally briefing with Vice-President (Kembo Mohadi) I brought up the issue and we were asked to table the issue with the province so that disciplinary action can be taken,” he added.

Sibanda hinted on the issue at a meeting held at Davis Hall on Saturday without going into detail.

NewsDay