The ruling Zanu PF party won all the six seats in by-elections held on Saturday last week as it attained a two-thirds majority amid fears there will be rounds of constitutional amendments.
Zanu PF has been craving for a super majority after it missed it in the August 23 and 24 2023 elections.
Saturday’s by-election were held after Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu recalled lawmakers saying they had ceased to be members of the political party.
The by-elections were held in Seke, Goromonzi South, Zvimba East, Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Chegutu West and Mkoba constituencies.
In Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency, the ruling Zanu PF candidate Joseph Tshuma polled 1 845 votes followed by CCC candidate Moreblessing Tembo at 464 while Democratic Official Party candidate Abraham Nkomo Yona trailed with 156 votes.
Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Archibald Chiponda described the victory as a rude awakening for the opposition political parties.
“It is an indication that the Bulawayo electorate is now coming back to the ruling party Zanu PF. It is a rude awakening for the opposition political parties,” Chiponda said.
However, Tshabangu’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugheni said he was still waiting for feedback from the people on the ground.
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The ruling party also reclaimed the Zvimba East and Chegutu West constituencies in Mashonaland West.
In Zvimba East, Zanu PF candidate Kudakwashe Mananzva polled 10 359 votes ahead of Independent candidate Oliver Mutasa who was recalled by Tshabangu leading to the by-elections.
CCC candidate Agrippa Alberto came a distance third with 885 votes.
In Chegutu West, perennial loser Gift Konjana found the going tough when he came third with a paltry 668 votes to Zanu PF candidate Shakemore Tirumbwa who polled 6 697 and Independent candidate Admore Chivero who garnered 2 626 votes.
Chivero complained that there was a lot of vote buying and bussing of people to rural polling stations.
“It was a sham election there was a lot of vote buying and bussing of people from as far as Harare to rural Chegutu” he said.
Zanu PF Mashonalad West provincial chairperson Mary Mliswa said the results showed that people were confident with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership.
“It shows the confidence that people have in the ruling party with all the mess that is happening in the opposition of disorder and it also shows that sanity is now prevailing,” she said.
Zanu PF also bagged six wards in Chinhoyi, Chegutu and Norton.
In Gweru, Edgar Ncube (Zanu PF) beat Patrick Tayiya of Democratic Official Party by slightly over 700 votes to clinch the Mkoba North constituency.
Ncube polled 2 415 votes against Tayiya’s 1 663.
There were 185 rejected ballot papers and the percentage poll was 14,6%.
In Goromonzi South constituency, Zanu PF candidate Washington Zhanda garnered 6 865 votes against Reuben Chikudo’s 1 067 while in Seke, Tobia Kashambe polled 8 586 votes ahead of Independent candidate Willard Madzimbamuto (2 401) and CCC’s Everisto Chisi (669).
