Zanu-PF retains 2 council seats

ZANU-PF has retained the Beitbridge East Ward 15 and Matobo North Ward 25 rural district council seats in Matabeleland South.

Beitbridge East Ward 15 candidate for Zanu-PF, Cde Rabson Mbedzi garnered 638 votes against MDC-Alliance candidate Mr Victor Moyo who had 54 votes.

Matobo North Ward 25 Zanu-PF candidate, Cde Sibonginkosi Dube garnered 483 votes against MDC-Alliance’s Mr Elkanah Sibanda’s 121 votes.

However, Zanu-PF candidate for Chitungwiza South Ward 24, Cde Mercy Guvamombe narrowly lost to MDC-Alliance’s Mr Yotam Chagwada by 66 votes.

Mr Chagwada garnered 1 059 votes against Cde Guvamombe’s 993 votes. MDC-T candidate Ms Jane Makovere and NCA candidate Mr Anderson Tsakeni garnered 29 and three votes respectively.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, provincial chair for Matabeleland South province Cde Rabelani Choeni said the party was happy with the results, which bore evidence to the fact that Zanu-PF was a people’s party.

“We are very happy that we managed to retain the two rural district council seats and the margins by which our candidates won signify the strength of the party in the province,” said Cde Choeni.

Harare provincial chairperson Cde Goodwills Masimirembwa said while the party was saddened by its loss in Chitungwiza, it lost the seat by a narrow margin, an indication that Zanu-PF was gaining ground.

“We expected to win. We had put everything in that by election. However, we lost the seat by a narrow margin, very narrow indeed and that to us is a sign of a rebound in urban areas,” said Cde Masimirembwa.

Contacted for comment, the Chitungwiza candidate, Cde Guvamombe said she was not satisfied with the results attributing her loss to alleged MDC Alliance-perpetrated violence that broke out towards the end of the voting process.

Elections watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network confirmed that an incident was reported at Unit M Crèche in Chitungwiza where it was alleged that supporters of ZANU-PF and MDC-Alliance argued over suspicions of vote buying close to the polling station.