Mayhem in Zanu-PF As 20 Buses Drive to Mnangagwa's Event Empty

By James Muonwa

ZANU PF Mashonaland West leaders are at loggerheads after 20 Zupco buses commandeered to ferry party supporters to Kadoma for President Emmerson Mnangagwa's event ended up driving to the venue virtually empty after they snubbed the trip.

NewZimbabwe.com is reliably informed that daggers are out for provincial chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, who is being accused of failing to mobilise the people.

Mnangagwa was visiting the RioZim-owned Cam and Motor Mine in Kadoma to commission a US$17 million Biological Oxidation (BIOX) plant, apparently equipped with the latest technology that ensures better processing of high sulphur refractory gold ore.

Documents indicated that in a bid to drum up the attendance figures in usual fashion, Zanu PF sought to bus its supporters from all corners of the province and commandeered 20 Zupco buses to ferry supporters to the event.

The plan however crumbled spectacularly after villagers in the vast province refused to turn up and board the busses, party sources said.

Sources indicated that one of the 75-seater coaches ferried only three people to the venue.

A schedule leaked to NewZimbabwe.com at the weekend shows that, Norton, Chegutu Urban, Mhangura, Kadoma and Kariba districts were allocated two 75-seater buses each while Chegutu Halfway, Karoi, Chirundu, Makonde, Chinhoyi, Banket, Murombedzi, Zvipani and Ngezi had one bus each.

However, the bus from Norton transported only three passengers as Zanu PF supporters snubbed the invitation, while the bus from Chinhoyi had less than 10 passengers.

Sources within the party said last week's embarrassing episode had rattled senior members, who are demanding answers from Mliswa-Chikoka, questioning her mobilisation capabilities.

Mary Mliswa-Chikoka is under fire from Zanu PF Mash West provincial officials who are questioning her leadership capabilities after buses drove empty to President Mnangagwa's event

"How could this happen in one of the provinces the party always performs well in elections. All 20 buses were literally empty, and we expect the same leadership to mobilise six million votes for the president in next year's poll? The Zanu PF ship in the province has surely hit turbulence and Mliswa-Chikoka must answer to this," a source said.

Efforts to get a comment from Mliswa-Chikoka were fruitless by the time of publishing.

This article originally appeared on New Zimbabwe

Photo: New Zimbabwe