Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka became the first woman to lead a province in ZANU PF’s history after defeating her three rivals in the party provincial chairmanship race.
Other candidates, who won the chairmanship, include Robison Mavenyengwa (Masvingo), Kazembe Kazembe (Mashonaland Central), Jabulani Sibanda (Bulawayo), Mike Madiro (Manicaland), Daniel Garwe (Mashonaland East), Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu (Matabeleland South), Godwills Masimirembwa (Harare), Albert Nyakuedzwa (Manicaland), Richard Moyo (Matabeleland North), and Larry Mavhima who was elected unopposed in the Midlands province.
The ruling ZANU PF’s Politburo Wednesday endorsed the results of the party’s provincial elections held recently across the country.
Some of the contestants had complained about violence and rigging and were hoping that Politburo, the highest decision-making organ in the party, would nullify the election outcome.
Addressing a Zanu PF politburo session at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday following the contentious provincial elections held last week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa urged members to accept the outcome and work together for the “good” of the party.
After the politburo meeting, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said the party had resolved to endorse the results despite the rigging claims adding that the outcome of the investigations was insignificant to alter the outcome of the polls. Mutsvangwa said:
Those who lost — the party is big, it has the wings of the chicken — all the chicks will be able to be accommodated somehow. But the principle that it is an election and not an appointment is fundamental. Those who lost must accept defeat.
Party commissar Bimha also confirmed that the politburo had endorsed the results, adding that the outcome of the proposed investigations would guide the party’s future elections.
Zanu PF will, however, organise provincial elections for the Matabeleland North provincial youth wing after all the candidates were disqualified because they were over 35 years.
Some party officials told NewsDay that unconfirmed results indicated that a faction linked to Mnangagwa was sharing control of the 10 provinces with one aligned to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, some of whose candidates were controversially disqualified from the race.
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