….explosive incident reveals deep divisions in St Mary's constituency
Political Reporter
The political landscape in St Mary's constituency, Chitungwiza, has become particularly tense following an incident where a home was attacked using an explosive device.
The incident allegedly happened in the early hours of last Tuesday at the home of Brighton Mazhindu, another candidate for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in that constituency.
A source who spoke to this publication said that this event has deepened the existing divisions within the CCC, revealing a significant level of infighting that could potentially disrupt the party's unity.
According to the source, Mazhindu, who is running against lawyer Freddy Masarirevu under the CCC banner, has directly accused Masarirevu of being behind the attack. This has further amplified the discord within that party, with both candidates trading accusations against each other.
The same source said that Mazhindu has confided in his inner circle that he was suspecting Masarirevu for being the explosive that detonated at his house.
“Mazhindu is suspecting Freddy and the fight between these two CCC candidates will cause bloodshed in St Mary’s if not resolved quickly,” added the source.
In response to these accusations, Masarirevu vehemently defended himself, implying that Mazhindu was using this incident to tarnish his reputation. "I'm not the kind of politician he's painting me to be. They are well aware of the dirty tricks in politics and how they play their game," said Masarirevu, denying any involvement in the attack.
Political commentator, Terrence Chipwanya, said that the severity of the attack on Mazhindu’s house was not just a measure of the physical damages, but more importantly, it signifies a critical point in the CCC's internal dynamics.
“The discord between Mazhindu and Masarirevu exposes the deep-seated factionalism within the CCC. The party, while publicly disowning Masarirevu, is struggling to contain the internal conflicts which are threatening to undermine its political strength in the upcoming elections.
“These developments underscore the urgent need for the CCC to address its internal issues and foster unity within its ranks. Only then can it present a united front in its political pursuits and assure its followers of its strength and stability as a party,” said Chipwanya.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police, which confirmed the report of the attack, is currently investigating the incident.
