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Cde Mnangagwa

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
NEW Chirumanzu-Zibagwe legislator Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa says Zanu-PF’s victory in the by-elections held over the weekend signifies the death of opposition politics in Zimbabwe as the electorate has lost confidence in fly-by-night political parties.

Speaking in an interview soon after being declared winner of the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency on Saturday, Cde Mnangagwa said: “The one thing that I would like to mention is that the people have spoken. They have sent a clear message that they love Zanu-PF and are tired of so many parties with nothing to offer.

“So they are tired of having new parties knocking at their doors all the time and are saying Zanu-PF is the party they want. They want development and that is what we will do.”

Cde Mnangagwa polled 16 097 votes with her nearest challenger, Mrs Rumbidzai Musambasi of Transform Zimbabwe polling a mere 456 votes while independent candidate Kamoti Chawaona, Good People’s Movement’s, Dewan Gadzamoyo and NCA’s Munashe Mutodza got 257, 86 and 79 votes respectively.

In Mt Darwin West Zanu-PF’s Cde Barnwell Seremwe won 18 315 votes with Transform Zimbabwe’s Kennedy Fungai coming a distant second with 302 votes and NCA’s Rueben Mafigu receiving 216 votes

The confusion within the opposition parties also reigned supreme in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe with TZ and the NCA failing to field polling agents in some of the constituencies.

The MDC formations boycotted the elections citing failure to implement electoral reforms although observers questioned the integrity of the parties given that they assented to the enactment of electoral reforms as contained in the new Constitution that was adopted during the era of the inclusive Government.

They were also involved in the amendments to the Electoral Act that were adopted last year.