#zimbabwe Zanu-PF trounces MDC-T in by-election Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter ZANU-PF is successfully reclaiming and retaining urban constituencies from the MDC-T, with the party’s massive win in the Chitungwiza Ward 25 by-election over the weekend being the latest show of its strength in cities and towns. The ruling party’s win in Chitungwiza followed President Mugabe’s recent call in an address to Zanu-PF supporters at the Harare International Airport on his return from the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly last week that Harare province should work towards reclaiming lost seats. In the latest win, Cde Simpison Mhike garnered 993 votes against a paltry 91 votes for Mr Kenneth Chinyaure of the MDC-T, with the ruling party claiming more than 80 percent of the total votes cast. The MDC-T was dominant in urban constituencies and wards since its formation more than a decade ago. The massive wins being registered by Zanu-PF in the urban wards put to shame Zanu-PF’s detractors who accused the party of rigging the 2013 harmonised elections. The general message coming out of the wins by the ruling party in the former MDC-T strongholds indicates that voters are no longer interested in the opposition party’s illegal regime change agenda. In the parliamentary elections last year, Zanu-PF won with more than a two thirds majority, with President Mugabe garnering 61,09 percent of the presidential vote to MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s 33,94 percent. In the Chitungwiza Ward 25 by-election, independent candidate Mr Cobbern Marwisa got 63 votes, while another independent, Mr Tapiwa Zengeya, managed 50, in an election in which none of the contestants troubled Cde Mhike, who is popularly known as Madzibaba from the Madzibaba Nzira apostolic sect. The Chitungwiza by-election was held following the dismissal of Dr Fredrick Mabamba of Zanu-PF on charges of gross mismanagement of council funds and property. This is the fourth by-election in an urban constituency since the 2013 harmonised elections and in all of them Zanu-PF asserted its authority either by reclaiming or retaining the seats. In January 2014, Zanu-PF’s Cde Maureen Nyemba claimed 843 votes against the 835 garnered by Mr Albert Muponda of the MDC-T in Harare’s Mbare Ward 12, with Mr Takura Gadzira of the NCA party receiving 76 votes, while independent candidate Jack Ethen Muzanenhamo got 26. In June, Zanu-PF’s Cde Charles Simbi polled 556 votes in Gweru’s Mkoba Ward 12 while Mr Fortune Chiokoyo of the MDC-T and Richard Ndlovu of the NCA, who polled 486 and 64 votes respectively. In the Kadoma Ward 4 by-election in September last year, Cde Godfey Mavura of Zanu-PF got 503 votes, while Mr Fastmore Mandipota of the MDC-T polled 212 votes. This came after MDC-T councillors in Kwekwe, Victoria Falls and Mutare last year voted for Zanu-PF mayors and/or deputy mayors in a show of lack of confidence in the opposition party after the harmonised elections. Zanu-PF has also continued to assert its dominance in rural district council by-elections by winning all those that have been held so far. In an interview yesterday, Cde Mhike said his victory was part of the fulfilment of President Mugabe’s call for Zanu-PF to reclaim its dominance in the urban areas. “We are reclaiming and retaining all seats that had gone to the MDC-T, consistent with our President’s call that the seats should go back to the rightful people,” said Cde Mhike. ZANU-PF now controls 1 501 wards against the MDC-T’s 442 throughout the country. There are 92 local authorities countrywide that consists of 1 958 wards. Political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said Zimbabweans were beginning to realise that they were taken for a ride by the MDC-T at its inception. “There was a wave of protest vote against Zanu-PF in the urban areas in the early 2000s, but people have realised that the MDC-T has nothing to offer, he said. “If general elections were to be held today, MDC-T will be buried for good.” Another analyst, Mr Goodson Nguni, said people in Chitungwiza realised that the MDC-T councillors had failed to represent them professionally. “The MDC-T has lost their ground,” he said. “They do not have a good story to tell in Chitungwiza in terms of service delivery to the people.”
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 22:38:39 +0000
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