Several incumbent councillors and legislators from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party in Bulawayo failed to secure their nomination to represent the party in the upcoming August elections.
The verification process for candidates took place from Friday to Saturday last week. Sources said many hopefuls were disqualified for various reasons, with most rejected due to suspicions they were secret agents or allegations of vote buying.
CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba confirmed that many established figures within the party had been left on the sidelines. He said the vetting process had weeded out “sell-outs and nincompoops” within the ranks.
In some wards, there were claims of attempts to unfairly block popular candidates from being selected. Transporting supporters was seen as giving candidates an advantage, and vote buying and use of cash were also issues.
The sources report reveals that in most constituencies, well-known candidates and sitting legislators or councillors lost out to newcomers and less established figures.
It was further alleged that allies of the ruling ZANU-PF party under the banner of Forever Associates Zimbabwe were actively funding weaker CCC candidates in some wards in an attempt to infiltrate the opposition party.
