Paidamoyo Muzulu

NEWLY elected Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman John Mafa has set his sights on claiming the party’s national commissar and Information minister Webster Shamu’s Chegutu East seat in the forthcoming party primaries.
Mafa’s elevation has opened doors for him and his backers to challenge sitting MPs,prominent among them, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo and Zvimba East MP Patrick Zhuwao. 

Mafa’s campaign is backed by former provincial chairman and flamboyant businessman Philip Chiyangwa as well as MPs Bright Matonga and RisipaKapesa, and the party’s provincial women and youth leagues.

Mafa beat three other aspirants, Walter Chidhakwa, Reuben Marumahoko and John Marashwa, in a contest to decide who would have greater control in deciding parliamentary candidates in the divided party province.

Mafamade a comeback after a two-year hiatus following a bloodless palace coup by his provincial committee in 2009. 

His victory brought a ray of hope for Chiyangwa to resurrect his flagging political career, as well as other party members to challenge sitting MPs who backed losing candidates in the party’s provincial polls.

Shamu was backing Marumahoko while Chombo backed Chidhakwa.

The four-man contest, while at the surface showed some semblance of democracy within Zanu PF, had many underlying currents with politburo members divided over which candidates to back. The stakes were high with the resultant provincial committee having power in selection of party parliamentary candidates.

Sources within Zanu PF claimed that Mafa and the core of his backers were already strategically positioning themselves to contest in the next parliamentary elections.

The insider said: “Mafa has his eyes on Shamu’s Chegutu East constituency and Chiyangwa wants to recapture Chinhoyi. Chombo and Patrick Zhuwao are set to battle for their Zvimba seats against Edwin Matibiri and Francis Mukwangariwa respectively.”

Mafa’s consolidation of power has also received the backing of two sitting MPs who are angling to be co-opted into the provincial committee, the insider added.

“Bright Matonga (Ngezi) and Risipa Kapesa (Makonde) who backed Mafa are also interested in being co-opted vice-chairman and secretary for administration respectively,” the source added.

On Tuesday, Mafa could not confirm or deny his aspirations to fight for the Chegutu East seat when reached for comment.

Mafa said: “I can’t say much about my political ambitions since I am new to the office. My first priority is to rebuild organisation that is in tatters. There are a number of people interested in being co-opted into the provincial executive but that would only be done after the first meeting of the new executive is held.”
Shamu has of late been propping up his profile in Chegutu East by donating an ambulance to the constituency and setting up a cooperative called Mai Grace Mugabe bakery.

Chombo and Zhuwao insist that they are ready to face anyone who challenges them in their constituencies. However, speculation is rife that Chombo is planning to switch from Zvimba North to Makonde senatorial constituency.

Zanu PF Mashonaland West province had been blighted by factionalism as the two main factions in the party headed by Emmerson Mnangagwa and Joice Mujuru fight to succeed President Robert Mugabe.

So vicious were the divisions in Mashonaland West that the provincial elections were postponed twice.
Zanu PF was forced to have direct voting by delegates at district level for the first time as it tried to control vote buying and rigging.

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