Cremora and Lacto win in chaotic elections

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close ally and controversial socialite Mike Chimombe who is out of custody on $56 000 bail for fraud charges won the Zanu PF central committee elections in Chinhoyi yesterday.
Mike Chimombe also referred to as Lacto joins Cremora real name Webster Shamu and a fellow controversial business person, Philip Chiyangwa in celebrating their wins.
Sydney Sekeramayi, Kindness Paradza, Ziyambi Ziyambi, Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu (wife to Obert Mpofu) were elected unopposed.
Some Zanu PF bigwigs including former Health minister David Parirenyatwa, politburo member Tendai Chirau and ex-wife of ruling party deputy president Kembo Mohadi, Tambudzani fell by the wayside.
As expected, in Hurungwe North, the elections had to be postponed after former finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe caused a scene at Karoi Country Club where voting was taking place. Some voters were booked at local hotels and guest houses around the farming town of Karoi amid claims that they were given cash and mobile phones among other goodies. There were also reports of vote buying with ICT minister Jenfan Muswere arriving at a polling station in Manicaland with a truck full of bicycles in what was seen as an attempt to buy votes.
In Makonde, deputy information minister Kindness Paradza won uncontested after Phineas Makumbe withdrew citing “unethical and dirty politics”. In his withdrawal letter, Makumbe said,
“I Phineas Makumbe do hereby withdraw my candidature for the central committee elections for Makonde district owing to the unethical and dirty politics being exhibited by my opponent Kindness Paradza”.
In Harare, a tense atmosphere engulfed the polling areas as the voting process was delayed in all of Harare. At Stodart Hall in Mbare, visibly drunk youths caused chaos after their preferred candidate one Gijima had been contested. The youths wanted to beat up other contestants for contesting Gijima.
The Central Committee is Zanu PF’s supreme decision making body in-between congresses. Yesterday’s elections were held weeks away from the party’s elective congress.