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ZANU-PF rebels scoff at expulsion
Owen Chikari, The Zimbabwe Times
February 21, 2008

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/page585.htm

Some of the ruling ZANU-PF candidates, who were expelled from the party this week after they lost in primary elections and stood as independents in next month's elections, yesterday scoffed at the party's decision to dismiss them. The candidates said they were not in any way bothered by the expulsion, insisting they would go ahead to contest the elections. The rebels said they took the decision to stand as independents after ZANU-PF dumped them despite winning primary elections.

Nathan Shamuyarira, the ZANU-PF spokesman, announced this week that party members who decided to stand as independents had been expelled from the party. In Masvingo, 11 ZANU-PF candidates filed their nomination papers as independent candidates claiming that they had not lost the primary elections. Six of them have since pulled out. Dzikamai Mavhaire, one of the rebels vying for the Masvingo senatorial constituency, however, said he would go ahead and contest the elections since he had won the primary elections. "We do not care about the expulsion that Shamuyarira is talking about," said Mavhaire. "As far as we are concerned, we won the primary elections; and we will not withdraw." Mavhaire will battle it out with Maina Mandava of ZANU-PF, Masvingo's current executive mayor, Engineer Alois Chaimiti of Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC, Renny Mahachi (independent Makoni), and Hilda Sibanda (MDC Mutambara).

Another independent candidate, finance minister Samuel Mumbengegwi, said he would not withdraw from the race, also arguing he did not lose in party primaries. "I beat Josaya Hungwe in party primary elections; and, therefore, there is no need for me to withdraw," said Mumbengegwi. During the primary elections, Mumbengegwi emerged victorious in the initial polls but lost to former governor Hungwe following a re-run of the elections. In Masvingo central, Eddison Zvobgo (Jr) also said that he would not withdraw. He also claims that he was robbed of victory at the primaries. "How can you withdraw when you won the primary election?" asked Zvobgo. "We are saying, 'let's go into the polls so that the people will decide.'"

Other party members who filed their papers as independents include Clifford Mumbengegwi in Chivi North and Henrietta Rushwaya in Gutu South. However, sources within the ruling party yesterday said a high powered delegation comprising the party's secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and other ZANU-PF politburo members were expected in Masvingo today to persuade the rebels to withdraw. "We are going to have a meeting with senior member of the party today (Thursday) and thereafter we will know the actual position of the party," said party provincial chairman, Retired Major Alex Mudavanhu.

Sources said the ruling party was contemplating conducting another round of primary elections in the disputed areas. Thereafter, losers would be forced to withdraw their nominations. "It appears the party will not expel these political heavyweights but instead it will hold primary elections for the third time between the remaining candidates," said the source. It was not immediately clear how the results of any new ZANU-PF primary elections would be accommodated since nominations opened and closed last Friday.

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