JOSTLING for top positions in the ruling Zanu PF party has gone into full swing ahead of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections on December 5 and 6, with some bigwigs fearing being kicked out for flouting rules. BY RICHARD MUPONDE/KENNETH NYANGANI/TATENDA CHITAGU NewsDay understands that civil servants, including teachers and headmasters, have thrown their hats into the ring, while some bigwigs have scaled up name dropping President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga to gain traction. Zanu PF last week announced that the highly-contested internal polls will be held across the country’s eight rural provinces next week. But concerned members fear that the DCC elections could further divide the party and chaotic scenes that have characterised the campaign period could be prolonged unless leaders intervene. Divisions in the party were apparent when, at a charged meeting in Mashonaland East, Senate president Mabel Chinomona claimed that members of the vanquished G40 group were still sitting on the “top table” with Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, while fomenting chaos ahead of the polls. Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said all the issues pertaining to the DCC and PCC elections would be addressed this week. “We are not going to talk about that now,” Chinamasa told NewsDay. “Keep your questions because they will be attended to on Wednesday at our weekly Press conference. Be there with your questions and I will address them,” Chinamasa said. But NewsDay understands that divisions have reached boiling point, forcing the top leadership to read the riot act to those at the centre of factionalism. Those flouting the party’s regulations face the chop, insiders said. “The leadership is not happy with how things are going especially candidates that are using the names of President Mnangagwa and VP Chiwenga to fan factionalism. There are fears that the party will emerge from the elections divided instead of fostering unity. Those who are found offside or flouting party rules risk being disqualified or fired from the party,” a source revealed. He said the party was also unhappy with civil servants who wanted to contest for positions before resigning from their jobs. Zanu PF is said to be afraid that this might tarnish its image because civil servants are supposed to be apolitical. “A decision is going to be taken on those civil servants who have flouted the rules by vying for party positions. The party is running away from the narrative that government officials are captured by the party,” he said. In Masvingo, a headmaster and a teacher based in Mwenezi district are campaigning in DCC elections. Master Makope, a headmaster at Dhiziri Secondary School and Marvelous Chifumuro, a teacher at Sangwari Secondary School were said to be gunning for the positions of political commissar and secretary for finance, respectively. Yesterday, Makope confirmed that he had decided to take on bigwigs in the polls. He said there was nothing wrong with him vying for political office. “Yes, it is tru