Political Reporter

…… as candidates are at each other’s throats

Chaos is reigning supreme within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) following revelations that Masvingo Urban Ward 4 by-election candidates are at each other’s throat, taking each other to court over removal of campaign posters.

The factional fights within CCC saw that party fielding both Thokozile Muchuchuti and Aleck Tabe to contest for Masvingo Urban Ward 4. However the duo is employing dirty tactics to derail each other’s campaign.

A source who spoke to this publication said Muchuchuti was accusing Tabe of tearing and defacing her campaign posters and she has since reported the case to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and police.

“Tabe’s people were seen defacing and destroying Muchuchuti campaign posters. Tabe and his supporters are a violent lot and are barring Muchuchuti from conducting her campaign peacefully. Muchuchuti has reported Tabe to the police although no arrests have been made so far,” said the source.

According to the source, in January Muchuchuti also dragged Tabe to court over the allegations of physically assaulting her, confiscating her documents and other particulars when they were submitting their names at the nomination court.

The source added that the fight between Tabe and Muchuchuti was being fuelled by the CCC leadership who were clandestinely sponsoring the campaigns of the two.

“The people in Harare (CCC leadership) are fuelling the tension between Tabe and Muchuchuti. We heard that president Chamisa (Nelson) was financially backing Tabe, while Welshman Ncube was backing Muchuchuti. Tabe and Muchuchuti will continue fighting because they both claim that they have the blessings of the party’s leadership,” said the source.

The source further said that at one time both Tabe and Muchuchuti were called by ZEC for disciplinary hearing and they were warned against de-campaigning each other and in the process violating the electoral laws. However, after that meeting Tabe was seen again removing Muchuchuti posters.

According to the source, Tabe’s violent behaviour towards Muchuchuti has since made the CCC members in that Ward to turn against him and they have vowed to support Muchuchuti who claims to have been stripped off party privileges like monetary funds to carry out her campaign.

The source added that the infighting between Tabe and Muchuchuti was an advantage to ZANU PF as the Party’s candidate was poised to win come 26 March.

Efforts to get a comment from both Muchuchuti and Tabe were futile as their mobile phones were not reachable.