High noon in Bikita West

From George Maponga in BIKITA—
All is set for the Bikita West parliamentary by-election today in which six candidates will battle it out for the right to represent the constituency, No incidents of violence or intimidation were recorded. Cde Beauty Chabaya of zanu-pf, Mr Madock Chivasa of NCA, Mr Kudakwashe Gopo of ZimPF and Mr Terrence Makumbo of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe together with two independent candidates — Messrs Heya Shoko and Innocent Muzvimbiri — are vying for the seat.

The seat fell vacant following the incarceration, for an effective 10 years, of Munyaradzi Kereke who was convicted of raping his then 11-year-old niece. ZEC Masvingo provincial elections officer Mr Zex Pudurai yesterday said everything was in place for the by-election.

“We are more than prepared for the by-election and I am happy to announce that all the 58 polling stations have received the required voting materials while election officers and members of the ZRP have also been deployed to all the stations.

“There will be 11 ward collation centres across the constituency where results from all the respective polling stations in those wards will be collated before being forwarded to the command centre at Bikita Training centre where all votes will be tallied before results are announced.”’

Mr Pudurai applauded the peaceful environment ahead of voting.

“There will be a minimum of three election agents for each candidate at all the polling stations and these people are already at their respective stations ahead of voting which kicks off at 7am and closes at 7pm.

“I am also happy that whatever minor differences were there amongst all the contesting candidates have been solved during the multi-party liaison committee meeting that took place today (yesterday). In fact, the good thing is that all the six candidates who are contesting this by-election are closely related and this made resolving whatever differences that were there easy,” said Mr Pudurai.

Candidates who spoke to The Herald said they were happy with the environment ahead of polling.

Cde Chabaya said she was more than confident of helping zanu-pf to retain the seat saying the high attendance at all her rallies was a barometer of her overwhelming support.

‘’I think we did enough groundwork as Zanu-PF ahead of this by-election and I am very certain of victory come tomorrow (today). The people of Bikita West are fully behind Zanu-PF and I am more than

confident that I will help Zanu-PF retain this seat.

‘’There is no other party that has people-oriented policies like Zanu-PF and I will easily romp to victory because Zanu-PF is a tried and tested party that has earned the trust of the people,’’ she said.

ZimPF’s Mr Gopo said he was more than optimistic of emerging victorious in the by-election. ‘’I am happy with the prevailing situation and come tomorrow (Saturday) I will be crowned the new Member of Parliament for Bikita West. I am more than confident of victory and all I am waiting to be crowned the new MP,’’ said Mr Gopo.

Mr Chivasa of NCA said the people of Bikita West will shun other parties and vote his party as it was the only one that can fulfill their aspirations.

‘’I am more than ready for tomorrow’s by-election and I do not think the people of Bikita West will invest their faith in a party like Zanu-PF. The only alternative political party the people of Bikita West will vote for in this by-election is the NCA,’’ said Mr Chivasa.

Zanu-PF Masvingo acting provincial chairman Cde Amasa Nhenjana said it was a foregone conclusion that the revolutionary party would win today’s by-election in Bikita West adding that the other opposing candidates will not withstand the ruling party juggernaut.

‘’Everything points to a crushing Zanu-PF victory and nothing will stop us from reclaiming this seat because we are connected to the people. Come tomorrow (today) evening, the results will be in our favour because the other parties have nothing to offer,’’ said Cde Nhenjana.

He accused some of the opposition parties contesting of trying to pre-empt their inevitable thumping at the hands of Zanu-PF by making false claims of violence against the ruling party.

Zanu-PF’s campaign rallies before today’s by-election were highly subscribed with thousands of people attending. Some of the rallies were addressed by the Second Secretaries of the revolutionary party Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko.

Former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, who is now ZimPF leader, got a rude awakening on Thursday as her maiden rally to drum up support for her party’s candidate, Mr Gopo, was attended by a paltry crowd at Nyika Business Centre.

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