BY NUNURAI JENA
MASHONALAND West Provincial Affairs minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka and Deputy Information minister Kindness Paradza are among the five candidates that submitted their curriculum vitaes (CVs) to contest the post of provincial chairperson ahead of yesterday’s deadline.
Acting provincial chairperson Abia Mujeri, provincial youth leader Vengai Musengi and former ZBC boss and current Zanu PF Veterans of the Liberation Struggle League (ZVLSL) chairperson Happison Muchechetere also submitted their CVs.
Mashonaland West has not been spared factional fights pitting camps allegedly aligned to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, setting the stage for a tough contest.
Mujeri, who is believed to be aligned to the Chiwenga faction is backed by former chairperson and politburo member Ziyambi Ziyambi while Mnangagwa’s faction is pushing Mliswa-Chikoka’s candidature.
Mujeri was initially not interested in the position while Mliswa-Chikoka was a target of ridicule by senior members of Zanu PF, who questioned how she was appointed ahead of them.
She is the first female provincial chairperson in the history of the party.
In separate interviews, the aspiring candidates expressed confidence of landing the provincial chairpersons’ post.
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“My time to lead is now. I am ahead of the pack because I’m mature, composed and more experienced, “ Paradza said.
Musengi said: “I submitted my CV on Friday and my chances are very high because I control most districts in the province.
“The only challenge I may face is Paradza, but otherwise the rest have no chance.”
Mujeri claimed some candidates might be disqualified, paving the way for him to grab the post.
“Some candidates may be disqualified if they fail to satisfy the requirements as expected,” he said.
“I have 25 years in the province in a senior position, but some candidates like the two ministers are so busy that they are failing to report back to their constituency, what more if they are given extra responsibilities of driving the party in the province.”
ZVLSL secretary Anthony Zunzanyika said Muchechetere needed to chair the province to ensure the party does not lose its revolutionary ideology.
“We need to implement the party’s revolutionary ideology as imparted by the Chitepo School of ideology… and to bring sanity within the provincial leadership and other related structures through imparting the party’s revolutionary consciousness and cadre discipline,” Zunzanyika said.
Efforts to get comment from Mliswa-Chikoka were fruitless.
