Raymond Jaravaza
EDISON Dube, the man who threw in his name in the race for the Bosso chairmanship, broke the record for lowest votes tallied by a candidate seeking office at the Bulawayo giants in recent years after getting just two votes from the 360 ballots cast in last Sunday’s elections at the Highlanders clubhouse.
In fact, even the number of spoilt votes — four —was more than the votes that Dube got.
Surprisingly, the 10 individuals whose signatures made it possible for Dube to sign his nomination papers at the club offices for him to be eligible to contest did not all vote for him.
To put it into contest, if the 10 signatories for his nomination papers had voted for Dube, he would have been guaranteed of at least 11 votes, including his own.
The local businessman, a former banker who has been in the fitness industry for over 15 years, left in a huff when the elections retaining officer Peter Dube announced that he had polled 0,56 percent of the votes.
Contacted for a comment a hostile Dube said: “I am out of town, I will call you soon as I come back. In fact do you want to make a public statement about that I got two votes. That’s not the truth. Why are you forcing me to issue a public statement. Do you know my fave, have you ever seen me. Angihlupheki mina. I don’t ask favours from people.”
Kenneth Mhlophe bounced back to reclaim the hottest seat in the county’s oldest club after garnering 165 votes to beat Johnfat Sibanda who trailed in second position with 104 votes to wrestle position of Highlanders chairman.
In 2021, Mhlophe — a decorated military officer and astute businessman, lost by a paltry five votes in a tightly contested elected that dislodged him from the position after serving one term.
A man of few words, Mhlophe said the biggest winner in every Highlanders election is the club.
“It’s not Mhlophe who won today, Highlanders is always the winner inn every election. For the way forward, I’ll lay out my plans in a few days,” said Mhlophe after the results were announced while emphasising on the need for unity in the Highlanders family.
Overseas-based Nodumo Nyathi, whose manifesto primarily premised on revolutionalising the club through technology got 87 votes.
In the race for the secretary general, Morgen Dube got 173 votes, Nsikelelo Mafa More came close at 114, with Rearburn Ndebele got 69 votes.
Kindman Ndlovu was the most popular of the candidates, as he got 230 votes and won the committee member’s post. He beat Bhekumuzi Sibanda who had 125.
Mhlophe’s call for unity was also reciprocated by losing candidate and now former chairman Sibanda who said he will always be available for deployment in any capacity if the club calls upon him for assistance.
The new chairman said, going forward, Highlanders has to maintain integrity and accountability to members and the generality of supporters.
“This is Highlanders, our club,our institution that we all love. Let us continue being united,” said Mhlophe.
