The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has accused ZANU PF of bussing people from as far as Gokwe, Chiredzi, and Mwenezi to register as new voters in Bulawayo.
CCC Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Swithern Chirowodza told Southern Eye that ZANU PF was bringing people from Gokwe to register as voters in Cowdray Park constituency which Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is reportedly eyeing in the upcoming general elections.
Chirowodza also claimed that the ruling party is bussing people from Chiredzi and Mwenezi to register as new voters in Bulawayo Central.
ZANU PF’s Tendai Chiruka is eyeing the Bulawayo Central constituency currently held by CCC legislator, Nicola Watson. Chirowodza said:
The transportation of people brought from various provinces to register as voters in ward 28 and ward one which are Cowdray Park and Bulawayo Central constituencies respectively is a clear rigging tactic currently adopted by ZANU PF.
ZANU PF has started rigging elections mainly in these two constituencies.
They are bringing people from as far as Gokwe to register in Cowdray Park so that they vote for Ncube.
They are also bussing people from as far as Chiredzi and Mwenezi to vote for Charuka in Bulawayo Central.
However, ZANU PF Bulawayo spokesperson Archibold Chiponda dismissed Chirowodza’s claims as false. He said:
Who in their right mind would sacrifice voters in their own constituency to be taken to another Constituency?
As a party, we want all seats countrywide, and it would be nonsensical to adopt such a strategy.
What I find most ironic about their accusations is that as we speak a CCC aspiring candidate is bussing people from Bulawayo peri-urban areas and transferring their votes to Bulawayo constituencies.
ZANU PF currently has one legislator, Raji Modi, in Bulawayo (Bulawayo South Constituency). The ruling party also has one councillor, Kidwell Mujuru (Ward 28).
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