Political Reporter

Cracks within Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) were exposed last Monday during the election to choose Chinhoyi Municipality deputy mayor, with Nelson Chamisa’s backed candidate managing only one vote.

A source who spoke to this publication said that elections were held in Chinhoyi last Monday to elect a replacement for former deputy mayor, Mercy Mada who has applied for six months leave of absence from the local authority to attend to family business.

A special council meeting that convened on Monday resolved to grant Mada leave, thereby raising the need to choose her replacement in terms of section 112 subsection 2 paragraphs (a) of the Urban Councils Act.

According to the source, Chamisa had directed that ex-deputy mayor; Chipo Mlotshwa be elected to replace Mada. However, CCC councillors defied that order and voted for ward two councillor, Patricia Chibaya.

“The president (Chamisa) had directed that Mlotshwa was supposed to replace Mada as the deputy mayor. However, the councillors defied that order and elected Chibaya who polled six votes against Mlotshwa’s one vote. The councillors were complaining that Chamisa should not interfere with the affairs of local authorities,” said the source.

According to the source, the elections exposed the rift within CCC and a collapse of the whipping system due to internecine fights as three CCC candidates were nominated and stood in the plebiscite. These included eventual winner, Chibaya, former mayor, Dyke Makumbi and Mlotshwa.

The source added that the polling saw Chibaya garnering six votes ahead of her closest rival Makumbi who got five, while Zanu PF’s Voster Mashevedzanwa scrapped two and Mlotshwa just a single vote.

The source claimed that the CCC councillors were likely going to face a backlash from Chamisa for defying his directive to elect Mlotshwa.

Meanwhile, Chinhoyi Municipality has in recent years adopted a tradition of thrusting female politicians to the deputy mayor post, and Chibaya follows in the footsteps of Mlotshwa and Mada who preceded her in the coveted seat.