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Banket – ZANU PF Provincial Member, Chrispen Saidi who has been on the spotlight in Banket’s party factional fights has reportedly roped in Blessing Joseph Augustine who is a niece to the late Minister Cephas Msipa, and a ZIMRA employee, Wilfred Dandajena who is from Banket to help financially oil his spirited attempt to unseat Zvimba South Constituency member of parliament and party central committee member Philip Chiyangwa.
The two according to sources, poured US$1500 through Saidi who is fighting that Never Hutepasi loses the position of district chairperson in the postponed internal elections for Banket’s ward 22.
Saidi accuses Hutepasi of being a Chiyangwa ally.
Saidi, affectionately known as Kadoza in political circles, reportedly sent a financial request to oil his campaign efforts which includes an attempt to discredit former Mashonaland West Provincial Chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi, and District Development Fund permanent secretary Christopher Shumba and Zvimba South Constituency Member of Parliament Dr. Philip Chiyangwa.
Recently Saidi is alleged to have sent a message to meet President Emerson Mnangagwa where he accused the three of destroying the party in the province which will result in Mnangagwa losing the Presidential 2023 elections in the province as a whole.
Reliable sources who are privy to the developments said Joseph is earmarking himself to contest for the Ward 22 council position as councillor, a position currently held by Hutepasi whilst Saidi targets for the second attempt on Member of Parliament position which is currently held by Chiyangwa.
“Kadoza (Saidi) wanted everyone aligned to Chiyangwa to lose in the party district elections and particularly in his own district in ward 22 where the current district chairperson Hutepasi is expected to retain the seat, so he requested financial help from people to help him in his quest as he thinks if he removes all people who are aligned to Chiyangwa it will be easier for him to win the primary elections, Joseph wants to be a councilor so he was told that we have to get rid of Hutepasi from the party district position first but since he doesn’t have money himself he requested that they financially help him to finance his attempts,” the source
Saidi roped in Dandajena who has a relative who lost a piece of a peri-urban farming plot just outside Banket which was officially allocated to A1 farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2020. Saidi reportedly told Dandajena that the land allocations can be reversed once Chiyangwa and Ziyambi are out of the picture.
“Saidi sent his message to the President where he complained that Chiyangwa and Hutepasi had neglected residents of Banket who lost their peri-urban farming plots which were allocated to A1 farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture and during the allegedly meeting with President, Saidi through his message, soiled the names of Chiyangwa, Ziyambi, and Shumba, accusing the three of interfering in the grassroots party and council business for their personal benefits,” said the source.
Saidi is reported to have hired some youths who were promised to be paid Us$3 per person to disturb the ward 22 ZANU PF internal party district elections which were postponed due to threats of violence after some of the hired youths demanded that the voters roll which was supposed to be used for the elections be nullified and suggestions by Makonde District Coordinating Committee Chairperson Kindness Paradza to allow anyone present on the polling station to vote without using a voters roll according to the demands of the youth was also rejected.
Saidi who was appointed by Chiyangwa as constituency coordinator soon after the 2018 general elections was recently replaced by Ward 34 Councilor Zieman Mugwagwa who now coordinates Zvimba South Constituency activities on behalf of Chiyangwa is reportedly not happy with the replacement as it was not communicated to him.
Saidi shenanigans came to light after the supposed hooligans have complained that they have not been offered the promised cash with some claiming that Saidi only buys them beer.
Saidi refused any involvement in the whole saga. “I no longer involve myself in kids’ fights. As a senior party member, I’m just observing what is transpiring between various parties but I don’t want to be part of whatever is going on I have decided to keep my distance and just watch” he said
Saidi requested that positive things about him should be published as soiling his name will only excite people who are outside the community of Banket.
“Let us not be divided by people who are coming to Banket from outside. Let’s focus on the good things about us,” he said
