Zanu PF supporters are calling for Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa’s head, accusing him of lacking the strategy to propel the party following President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa’s poor showing in the capital in just-ended general elections.
Of Harare’s 30 constituencies, Zanu PF only got four, courtesy of CCC’s problem of fielding double candidates in three of the constituencies won by the ruling party and the imposition of opposition leader Chamisa’s brother, Starman in Mbare.
In the four constituencies, Epworth South, Hunyani and Mbare, Zanu PF candidates outclassed Mnangagwa who got about 183 0000 votes in the province, a far cry from about 520 000 votes garnered by CCC’s Chamisa.
Mnangagwa slid back from his 2018 performance in the province where he got about 203 000 votes. This was despite Masimirembwa, while addressing a presidential rally in Harare ahead of the 23 August polls, promising Mnangagwa a harvest of votes in this year’s elections.
Soon after the results for Harare were announced, the party’s Harare social media groups were ablaze, with members calling for Masimirembwa’s head, accusing him of being a weak leader devoid of a strategy to revive the party’s fortune in the opposition-dominated province.
They want him replaced by former Harare provincial commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe or former youth leader Godwin Gomwe.
Godwills Masimirembwa
When Mashayamombe was provincial commissar before he fled the country in 2017 following a coup on long-time ruler, the late former President Robert Mugabe, the party performed well and at one time managed a total of 13 seats in Harare alone. Mashayamombe became famous for gathering huge crowds for Mugabe in Harare as well as turning Harare South into a Zanu PF fortress.
Gomwe was also popular among the youths as their leader before he failed to unseat Masimirembwa from the post of provincial chairmanship.
Masimirembwa is accused of imposing candidates in many constituencies during the primary elections.
The party supporters gave an example of the Churu constituency where the preferred candidate was Charles Matsika but was sidelined because he supported Gomwe during the chairmanship race.
Masimirembwa’s preferred candidate, Ephraim Fundukwa, however, lost to CCC candidate Grandmore Hakata, despite orchestrating violence against CCC supporters that led to the murder of opposition supporter Tinashe Chitsunge.
Most Zanu PF parliamentary candidates accused the provincial chairman of lacking a proper campaign strategy in Harare.
Other failed candidates are also accusing some sitting top six provincial executives of causing a revolt vote in Epworth North, Dzivarasekwa, Hatcliff, Mabvuku Tafara, and some constituencies in Chitungwiza.
For the first time in history, Zanu PF lost all seats in Chitungwiza.
Zanu PF even failed to win in other constituencies where CCC fielded double candidates, like Churu, Mt Pleasant, and St Mary, among others.
“Ngaachimbozorora (he should be retired,” said one supporter from a group, Zanu PF Bulletin referring to Masimirembwa.
“Mashayamombe should now be elevated to the province. Between Mashayamombe and Gomwe, one of them should take over and the other be deputy,” another one supporters.
When contacted for a comment, Masimirembwa’s mobile went unanswered.
Source NewZimbabwe
