Zanu-PF in Mashonaland West has successfully secured victories in two local authority by-elections held over the weekend in Hurungwe and Banket, underscoring the party’s continued dominance in the province.
In Hurungwe Rural District Council Ward 24, Zanu-PF’s Jerry Makumbe secured 1,685 votes, while Ezekiel Khumalo of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) garnered 415 votes. The valid votes cast amounted to 2,100, with 28 spoiled votes, resulting in a total of 2,128 votes. The percentage poll turnout was 42.3%. In the August harmonized plebiscites, Zanu-PF had received 2,327 votes from the ward’s 4,800 registered voters.
For the Zvimba North Ward 23 by-election, Cecilia Muganhiri of Zanu-PF won with 949 votes against Manuel Chinanzvavana (CCC), who received 701 votes. The National Constitutional Assembly’s (NCA) Enock Junior Rabu secured 18 votes, and CCC renegade Pamela Gomani (Independent) received 63 votes. The valid votes cast were 1,731, with 30 spoiled votes, totaling 1,761 votes. The electoral college consisted of 3,298 registered voters, with a 53.3% turnout.
These by-elections were necessitated by the untimely deaths of Zanu-PF Councillor Pharaoh Kuerakana in Hurungwe West Ward 24 and Zanu-PF Councillor Richard Muganhiri in Banket Ward 23.
Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, the Chairperson of Zanu-PF Mashonaland West, expressed satisfaction with the weekend victories, attributing them to the people’s confidence in the party and the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. She emphasized the party’s commitment to improving citizens’ lives and delivering on promises, thanking the electorate for their large turnout during the by-elections.
Despite recent demographic changes affecting Zanu-PF in Banket due to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s delimitation exercise, which made the ward predominantly urban, CCC faced internal challenges that hampered its winning prospects. Infighting and purges within CCC, including conflicts in candidate selection, contributed to the opposition’s loss, and a disgruntled member, Pamela Gomani, ran as an independent candidate.
Source:Byo24
