Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. CRYING more than the bereaved, a Zanu PF aspiring candidate has lodged a complaint with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) against an independent rival, accusing him of misleading voters by using images of opposition politician Nelson Chamisa on campaign posters ahead of the July 26 by-election.
The by-election, set for Ward 10 in Chikomba district, follows the death of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillor Amos Reza, who lost his life in a motorbike accident last month.
The complaint was raised by Zanu PF’s Tafadzwa Mukandi against his independent rival Tawanda Muchenje during a multi-party liaison committee meeting convened by Zec in Chikomba on Tuesday.
Mukandi complained against Muchenje’s campaign material, which features photographs of both Chamisa and the late Reza, saying the move was deceptive and politically opportunistic.
This controversy is not new, as several opposition-recalled representatives have used Chamisa’s image in their campaign posters as independent candidates, arguing that they identify with his political ideology and vision.
After the CCC party was hijacked by self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu in 2023, many recalled representatives sought to ride on Chamisa’s popularity in their bids to represent people in Parliament or local authority.
Ironically, even Tshabangu himself has at one point claimed that Chamisa’s image was CCC property and party logo, and continued to use the former opposition leader’s image, even recently in his communiqué for his parliamentary caucus meeting.
NewsDay Weekender established that a heated debate has erupted between Zanu PF supporters and their opposition rivals over Chamisa’s image use.
“During the meeting with Zec, Mukandi first inquired from the Zec officials what an independent candidate meant,” a source told NewsDay Weekender.
“He later raised the complaint that the concept of independence was contrary to what Muchenje was doing as he was riding on other people’s coattails through the use of their images.”
During the meeting, NewsDay Weekender heard, Muchenje’s chief election agent Emmanuel Punungwe said he did not see any problem why Zanu PF should complain about Muchenje using Chamisa’s image.
He said that as contestants, they would use various strategies to win against their rivals, including using content that would help them win the electorate.
Mukandi confirmed his complaint to NewsDay Weekender.
“If he (Muchenje) is truly independent, he should be using his picture, not riding on the popularity of others,” Mukandi said.
He argued that the posters could mislead voters into thinking Muchenje was aligned with Chamisa or officially endorsed by the opposition, which was not the case.
“I wanted to understand from Zec what it means to be an independent candidate,” he said.
“I am asking on behalf of the electorate because it doesn’t make sense. We all know that the late Reza was a CCC councillor.
“Does it make sense that someone calls himself independent, yet he takes a picture of a well-known opposition member and puts it on his campaign poster?”
Mukandi complained further: “He claims he does not have a party, yet he puts Chamisa’s picture, and there have been claims that he (Chamisa) was forming the Blue Movement. Does it make sense?
“We feel it will confuse the electorate. They should stick to the picture they submitted to Zec, which is Muchenje’s picture. I am a Zanu PF candidate. I use Zanu PF logos and regalia, not any other party. That should be the same with Muchenje.”
Muchenje said Zec had distanced itself from the feud.
“But Zec told us they have no issues with it,” he said.
“The people whose pictures are used should complain.
“But in the future, if there is any problem, we will just pin it on the independent parties because they are the ones associating them with everyone.”
In an interview with NewsDay Weekender, Zec Chikomba district elections officer Todd Chibengwa said: “We did not receive a written complaint. If that is the case, we don’t have control over the content candidates use during their campaigns.
“If there is a complaint against the use of pictures, is it not that it should be directed to those whose pictures are being used?”
Mukandi lost to Reza in the 2023 general elections.
This is his third bid for the local authority seat after winning the March 26, 2022 by-election.
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