Political Reporter
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) losing candidates are reportedly disgruntled and are contemplating making appeals to that party’s leader, Nelson Chamisa, to disregard the whole candidate selection process.
Losing candidates, who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, described that party’s recently concluded candidate selection process as unfair, chaotic, and undemocratic.
A losing candidate in Bulawayo Central constituency said that he would petition Chamisa to ignore the results of the recently concluded candidate selection process as it was not a reflection of the people’s will. Failure to do so, the candidate charged that losing candidates would influence protest vote.
"The whole process was chaotic, unfair, and undemocratic. We will write to the president (Chamisa) compelling him to ignore the outcome of the candidate selection process as the whole exercise was marred by some irregularities," said the losing candidate.
Another losing candidate in Bulawayo Province accused some of the triumphant aspiring candidates of bussing people from rural areas to participate in the candidate validation process conducted on June 3, 2023, in Bulawayo urban.
"Can you imagine that people such as Kucaca Phulu, Desmond Makaza, and Francis Mangwendeza had to bus people from other constituencies to participate in the candidate validation process in Bulawayo urban? We want the outcome of the whole process to be declared null and void because it wasn’t transparent," fumed the losing candidate.
This publication further gathered that all 12 triumphant parliamentary candidates in Bulawayo were aligned to Chamisa and had been foretold that they would represent CCC in Bulawayo constituencies.
A list of Bulawayo candidates gleaned by this publication revealed that Phulu would represent CCC in Nkulumane constituency, Makaza in Mpopoma constituency, Thokozani Khupe in Cowdray Park constituency, and Pastor Obert Manduna would be CCC’s candidate in Nketa.
Other candidates who triumphed include Descent Collins Bajila (Luveve/Emakhandeni), Sichelecile Mahlangu (Pumula), Promise Mkwanazi (Magwegwe), Surrender Kapolika (Bulawayo Central), and Gift Banda (Entumbane/Njube).
Meanwhile, former Deputy Mayor and Ward 3 councillor, Tinashe Kambarami, whose tenure in the Bulawayo City Council was marred by legal battles, also failed to make it and is among those expected to file an appeal to Chamisa.
