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Harare - A former top ally of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe this week tried to file court papers to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the ruling Zanu-PF party - even though he was recently expelled, state media reported.
Ex-minister of presidential affairs Didymus Mutasa was thrown out of Zanu-PF in February because of his support for former vice president Joice Mujuru, who has also been expelled on allegations she tried to unseat the longtime president.
But Mutasa, 79, still wanted to stand as the Zanu-PF candidate for the Headlands constituency in eastern Zimbabwe in a by-election that is due in June, ZBC reported.
He reportedly filed papers on Wednesday in an attempt to register his candidacy at a court in the city of Mutare.
"His papers were rejected after the Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial leadership objected to the submission of nomination papers under the name and symbol of the revolutionary party," ZBC said in an online report.
Recently expelled
Mutasa and several other recently-expelled members of Zanu-PF insist that they alone are true to the founding principles of Mugabe's party.
Reports in the private press that Mutasa and Mujuru may be about to launch a party called Zanu People First have not been confirmed. Mujuru and her supporters deny plotting to unseat Mugabe and so far police have not pressed any charges against them.
Mutasa's nephew Themba Mliswa, also recently expelled from Zanu-PF, registered on Wednesday as an independent candidate for a by-election in a different constituency, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo confirmed.
Moyo tweeted: "Nephew Themba Mliswa was wiser than his uncle Didymus Mutasa as he successfully filed as an independent against Keith Guzah in Hurungwe West."
News24