VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife Auxilia is one foot in parliament after two Zanu PF candidates for the Chirumanzu-Zibangwe constituency by election withdrew their submissions for the party’s primaries Wednesday.
Auxilia is not expected to face any credible challenge in the March by election after the MDCs said they will not be taking part in any future polls before the electoral reforms were implemented.
Violet Nhari who is the provincial commissar in the Women’s League and Erasmus Jaya, deputy national secretary for transport in the party’s Youth League chickened out at a provincial electoral directorate meeting held at the Zanu PF Gweru convention centre.
Addressing journalists soon after the meeting, provincial publicity and information officer, Cornelius Mpereri said the two had withdrawn their CVs to pave way for Auxilia since she had the capacity to lead the constituency which he said was “too big.”
“Before sitting as the electoral directorate two Cdes (Nhari and Jaya) withdrew because as an organised province we also always do our things in an organised
manner,” Mpereri said.
“The constituency is too big as it borders Mashonaland West, Chikomba, Gutu, Chiwundura and Redcliff and so it needs someone who has capacity to make sure that developmental projects that had been initiated by VP (Mnangagwa) are carried on.”
Mpereri said there would be no primary elections for the seat as the provincial elections directorate had endorsed Mrs Mnangagwa as the only candidate.
The Acting President’s wife also told reporters that she would be equal to the task if elected MP in her former husband’s constituency.
“The VP will also assist me as he is privy to the projects that he had been pursuing in his former constituency,” she said.
The nomination court will sit on January 29 while the by-election is set for March 27.
While it could not be established what led to Nhari and Jaya’s decision to pull out of the race at the last minute Zanu PF national commissar Savior Kasukuwere last week warned party members not to challenge Mnangagwa’s wife.
It was reported this week that there were some members who were against Mrs Mnangagwa taking over from her husband as the MP because she is not from the area.
