Political Reporter
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa, has ordered that party to redo the candidate selection process in Chinhoyi constituency following allegations of vote buying and intimidation that characterised the process last month.
A source who spoke to this publication said that Chamisa was against the candidature of the incumbent legislator, Peter Mataruse, who controversially triumphed during the nomination exercise.
The same source added that Mataruse, a medical doctor by profession, had fallen out of favour with Chamisa because of his alleged links with the Sesedza Movement, a faction within CCC opposed to Chamisa’s leadership.
“The president (Chamisa) has ordered that the candidate selection process be repeated in Chinhoyi constituency. The president is accusing Mataruse of using unorthodox means to win the nomination. The truth is that Chamisa is accusing Mataruse of belonging to Tendai Biti’s faction. The nomination process would be conducted afresh this coming Saturday,” said the source.
According to the source, there was a popular belief within Chamisa’s circle that Mataruse had run his race having served two consecutive five-year terms as a legislator.
Chamisa was reportedly arguing that Mataruse should not contest on behalf of CCC because during his term, he was not vocal enough to articulate issues affecting his constituency which struggles with development inertia and high unemployment.
The same source added that Chamisa was in support of Engineer Leslie Mhangwa to be CCC’s candidate in Chinhoyi constituency.
“Chamisa haasi kuda Mataruse kuti amiririre party ku Chinhoyi. Arikuda Mhangwa. However, the people in Chinhoyi are in support of Mataruse and they are saying that if he is disqualified, they would rather support incumbent Ward 8 Councillor, Mukudzei Chigumbura than Mataruse,” added the source.
Meanwhile, CCC is reportedly failing to field Ward election candidates in Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe constituency and was now contemplating to convince university students to represent it in that constituency.
The source said one Kudakwashe Matibiri and Timothy Mutsago reported to CCC interim organising secretary, Amos Chibaya that CCC’s popularity had waned in Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe and the party was having difficulties in identifying candidates to represent it in local authority elections.
