HARARE, Zimbabwe | A controversy has shaken the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), with members throughout the nation saying that the selection procedure for the party’s candidates in next month’s elections was skewed in favour of individuals who paid large quantities of money.
As a result of the alleged flaws in the selection process, unhappy members have filed candidature papers as independent candidates in several seats, according to Business Times.
Max Mubaiwa, then the deputy mayor of Kariba, questioned Mukudzei Chigumbura, the leader of the CCC Chinhoyi cluster and current candidate for provincial councillor, what had happened in a taped discussion that was released.
Chigumbura could be heard saying: “….Your name was disqualified at the (CCC) head office according to the list that I have.”
Asked why, he said: “I don’t know but you were linked to [Douglas] Mwonzora MDC-T, yourself (Mubaiwa), Kampiawo and Nyangairo.”
Mubaiwa asked why Mawonei was not expelled yet both (Mubaiwa and Mawonei) resigned from MDC-T at the same time.
Chigumbura then asked Mubaiwa: “How much do you have in your pocket?
He could be heard saying: “A lot of money.”
Chigumbura told Mubaiwa: “Ndiyo yakaponesa vamwe venyu iyoyo. Ini handinyepi ndotaura chokwadi. Vamwe venyu vakanobhadhara mazita avo nokubva adzorwa [Money rescued some members. Some names were restored on the list after they paid money].
I have three councillors that I know who paid money to be retained. Do you remember workshop yakaitwa three weeks before nomination yakaenda maMoyor.
“Mayor spent three, four days away. What was he doing in Harare? Unfortunately, he didn’t tell you as deputy mayor how its was going done.
“I am telling you how he survived, and which is bad.”
Tendai Chirenje, who filed as an independent candidate for Chinhoyi ward 11 councillor after his name was dropped from CCC candidates lists was disgruntled.
Commenting on the leaked audio, an aspiring independent candidate in Chinhoyi Tendai Chirenje said:”
The candidate selection process for Zanu-PF was more citizenry than that of a party calling itself, Citizens’ Coalition for Change, whose process was informed by its doctrine of strategic ambiguity…
“It’s a process that had a pre-determined outcome, where candidature was openly sold, it was an auction system, candidate selection process, where the highest bidder walked away as a candidate, opposition politics in Zimbabwe.” Chirenje said.
Contacted for a comment by Business Times Mubaiwa, who was Kariba deputy mayor confirmed he is the one on the audio saying the selection process had been rigged.
He said: “Audio iyo inongotsigira zvatakataura kuti vachamiririra bato reCCC musarudzo yanga isina kuchena. Process yacho yaiva auction chaiyo. Semanziro amurikuita muaudio umwe mukuru webato ari kuMashonaland West atiti unemarii muhomwe.
“Mari ndiyo nzira yaiita kuti uve candidate muCCC kwete macitizens. Munhu anopinda nekutenga chigaro akabudirira musarudzo aneasina hanya nekumiririra vanhuasikudzora mari yake nekuti inenge iri investment. Mhirizhonga yazvama mubato iri yemadouble candidature, kuvengana yabva mumakaro emari ane vakuru vemubato iri zvezvamurikungozvinzwirawo. Chinozobuda chii mukaisa Reserve Bank mumaoko evanhu vakadai?”
Another disgruntled member said: “Ungaite musangano here unotengesa zvigaro. Veno vacho vakazonzi vapinda vanozoshandira vanhu here.
“Citizen selection process, which turned to be a cash selection process, moti vanhu vakadai vapuhwe nyika vatonge, havazvigoni.”
Efforts to get a comment from CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and her deputy Gift Ostallos Siziba were futile.
Source – BusinessTimes
