Ngoni Dapira

AFTER recently announcing their decision to step down from contesting in this year’s election despite being nominated, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators for Mutare Central and Mutasa Central Innocent Gonese and Trevor Saruwaka opened up to Easterntimeszim on why they decided to bow out.

This was after rumours had spread that they had been forced to stand down, whilst some cited that there was bad blood between the two veteran politicians and the CCC leader Advocate Nelson Chamisa. They however dismissed this as hogwash meant to taint their party ahead of the watershed polls.

CCC opted for a citizens-centric process to choose its candidates instead of the traditional model of primary elections. The process is being conducted by an independent body, Citizens’ Independent Candidate Selection Panel (CISP). The panel will choose the party’s contestants in the forthcoming election through four stages namely candidate nomination, candidate vetting, candidates’ caucuses and declaration of successful candidates.

Honourable Saruwaka was the first to step down then Hon Gonese followed suit. Hon Gonese said no one pushed him to call it a day. “I was not pushed but made a free and voluntary decision not to contest for a parliamentary seat and pave way for new blood as part and parcel of the spirit of leadership renewal,” said the astute lawyer by profession who has served successively as the legislator for Mutare Central since the year 2000.

Hon Gonese

The former MDC Alliance chief whip who had since jumped ship to join the CCC said he would remain part of the yellow revolution but will not be a direct contestant. “I will assist the party wherever I am required and in particular will fight to ensure that Mutare Central gives a massive vote for the party’s candidates. Our aim is to win the presidential election resoundingly as the target is six million votes and a two thirds majority in Parliamentary elections, as well as all the urban councils and at least half the rural councils,” said Hon Gonese.

Hon Saruwaka said the decision to withdraw is one he made way back in 2018 after winning his third 3rd term. He said he told himself back then that it should be his last run as Mutasa Central legislator.

“Forced by who? Those are blue lies. Our people are not used to seeing politicians making the right decisions. They have no faith in politicians’ capacity to behave correctly. The truth is no one asked me to go. On the contrary quite a good number of people from Mutasa Central have expressed their desire to see me continue. I never intended to stick in Parliament permanently. I hope my voluntary departure will help Zimbabweans in general and politicians in particular to adopt a culture of peaceful handover of power. We ought to introduce a new normal,” said Hon Saruwaka.

Hon Saruwaka

He however said he has not hung his political boots but is simply paving way for others and will no doubt rally behind the chosen candidate. “My immediate target is to help my successor to win the seat and cement our invincibility status. Mutasa Central is a citadel of CCC. Broadly in the scheme of things I am more available to campaign for the party without necessarily campaigning for myself. This is not the time to take a back seat but to get down to serious business and ensure Zanu-PF is booted from government so that opportunities become available to all Zimbabweans as opposed to the few catered for currently,” said the vocal dread-locked legislator.

Adding, “There is only one outcome for 2023. Zimbabweans must prepare themselves to welcome a new occupant at State House in the person of the CCC leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa. A new government is loading. 2023 will see the resounding defeat of Zanu PF. I am going to play my small part in ensuring that Zimbabwe is free of and from Zanu PF.”

CCC Manicaland spokesperson David Panganai said the voluntary step down by the two shows a value in their party that power can be voluntarily and peacefully transferred, unlike what has been the case in the ruling party, Zanu-PF, where the old guard hold fort till kingdom come.

“As CCC we recognise the diversity of our democracy and will always respect that politics is not a lifetime occupation and as such when one is entrusted with leadership rolls there must come a time when one must pass on the button. We are happy that Manicaland we have taken the lead on this,” said Panganai.

Panganai said in Manicaland the nomination process went on very well and they did not have much challenges except in situations where people did not properly understand the difference between the new process and primary elections. “However, after the independent structure tasked with the process explained things, everything started moving smoothly as expected. There have been no squabbles brought to the attention of leadership that we have received. Candidates will be announced definitely once the whole processes are finished as the vetting process is still underway right now. After vetting there will be consultations and consensus then the announcement of chosen candidates,” he said.

Brian James

In Mutare Central former Mutare Mayor Brian James was nominated together with Hon Gonese who stepped down, whilst in Mutasa central Regis Madzaramba and Dickson Chekecheke are the contending nominees left after Hon Saruwaka bowed out.

Former Mayor, James who served from 2008 to 2012, before being ‘controversially’ suspended a year before his term ended is not new in politics in the eastern border city. James was suspended by the then Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo in 2012 over allegations of gross mismanagement, but he has always been on record that he believes his suspension was a well-orchestrated move by councillors and senior managers to block the auditing of council finances and illegal land sales, which would have exposed gross corruption that was happening at the local authority.