Kuda Bwititi
Prominent lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange has appealed against the decision to bar him from contesting in Zanu-PF’s Mudzi District Co-ordinating Committee elections and says he is ready to put his legal career on ice in pursuit of politics.

Mr Samkange was barred from contesting the elections after it was ruled that he had not served the revolutionary party for the mandatory five years required for one to run for a DCC   post.

He disclosed that he was appealing against the decision to bar him from contesting in the elections as he has served the party for more than five years.
“I have been a loyal Zanu-PF cadre for all of my adult life and I have dedicated more than five years to the party,” said Mr Samkange, whose disqualification saw Cde Tafirenyika Chanhasi winning the Mudzi DCC chairmanship unopposed.

“My relationship with the then Zanu started during my time at the then University of Rhodesia, where I did a lot of advocacy work for the party. We had a block student committee that used to visit Cold Comfort Farm for meetings with the likes of Cde Didymus Mutasa, Cde Moven Mahachi and Chief Rekayi Tangwena. Some of  the people that I worked with from the university include Justice Anthony Gubbay and Justice Nick McNally, who were both against the settler regime. I came back into active politics in 1990 and I immediately joined the Zanu-PF structures in Gozi district in Mudzi and rose from the cell level with the highest position I held being that of secretary in the commissariat,” said Mr Samkange.

“In 1995, I submitted to contest in the elections for Mudzi constituency but later withdrew to pave way for Cde Musa, who went on to become the Member of Parliament for the area. In 2000 I expressed interest to stand in primary elections to contest in the constituency, but Cde Ray Kaukonde went on to stand in the primary elections unopposed after Cde Musa, Cde Mudzimu, Cde Chesango and myself stood down to let him run for the seat,” he said.

Mr Samkange, who has practised law for 32 years, said he was prepared to quit his legal career to serve Zanu PF.
“If things go according to plan, I will quit my current position in law to take a more advisory or consultancy duty. I will stop practising and I will go to the advocates’ chambers which is a more advisory role,” he said.

Zanu PF Mashonaland East spokesperson Cde Gordon Mjawe said the province would seek direction on the matter from the national commissariat.
“It is Cde Samkange’s right to appeal so we will wait for guidance from the national commissariat,” he said.