*Former Agriculture deputy minister claims Zanu PF rivals are targeting him for successive election defeats* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/0un4 ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ FORMER Deputy Minister of Agriculture Douglas Karoro has said political rivals Takesure Chikwamba and Charles Mutukudzi are behind allegations that he stole fertiliser from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) mainly because he has beaten them thrice in the Zanu PF party’s primary elections. Karoro spoke following Mutukudzi’s appearance as a State witness in a case he is facing charges of diverting agricultural inputs. He said Mutukudzi and Chikwamba were bitter that they had failed to unseat him in 2015, 2018 and 2023 when he won the election while on remand as a result of the case. The primaries sought a candidate from Mbire constituency to represent Zanu PF in Parliamentary elections. At the time the allegations arose, Chikwamba was the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) Chairperson while Mutukudzi was his deputy. Mutukudzi told the court that he was informed by a certain Zanu PF leader of ‘suspicious’ trucks, allegedly linked to Karoro, that were loading fertiliser at GMB Mushumbi depot. He said he then proceeded, with the blessing of Chikwamba, to file a report with the police. Chikwamba accompanied him. Mutukudzi admitted that he lost thrice to Karoro in the race to represent Mbire in Parliament but said he was not bitter. He said it was just human nature to want to win. “It is human nature to want to win every election,” said Mutukudzi, to which Karoro’s lawyer Admire Rubaya further asked if he was happy with the defeat. Rubaya questioned why malpractices at GMB would be reported to him if he was neither a government official nor an interested party. The matter continues on Friday before Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.