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Tendai Mugabe and Kuda Bwititi
A high turnout of voters was recorded at all the 46 polling stations in Mt Darwin West Constituency during Zanu-PF primary elections yesterday. Mt Darwin West Constituency fell vacant after former Vice President Joice Mujuru was appointed Vice President on September 11, 2013.

Cde Mujuru and her cabal were recently fired from the Government after they were implicated in a plot to unseat President Mugabe through unconstitutional means.

Cdes Godfrey Tsenengamu, Caleb Karima, Banwell Seremwe and Khumbulani Banda were vying for the ticket to represent Zanu-PF in the by-election that would be held on March 27 2015.

Returning officers — Cdes Edna Madzongwe and Prisca Mupfumira — were impressed by the voting process that started at 7am and ended at 7pm.

In an interview at Pfura Rural District Command Centre in Dotito yesterday, Cde Madzongwe, who is also Senate President, said voting went on peacefully in all the polling stations.

“There was no incident of violence recorded at any of the polling stations. We are impressed by the massive turnout considering that this is just a primary election and everything went on well,” she said.

Cde Madzongwe said although voting started late at some polling stations, all the people who were eligible to vote managed to cast their votes by close of polling by 7pm.

She said challenges were encountered at some polling stations where there were shortages of ballot papers, but the situation was quickly rectified.

Cde Mupfumira who was the chief returning officer, said there was overwhelming support from Central Committee Members who were deployed to observe the election.

“As returning officers we are impressed with the massive support that we got from Central Committee members who observed the elections at every polling station,” she said.

Some of the Central Committee Members who observed the polls were Cdes Joseph Made, Paul Mangwana, Mike Madiro, Paddy Zhanda, Anastancia Ndlovu, and Mike Gava to mention a few.

Zanu-PF Midlands Province did not hold primary elections in Chirumhanzu- Zibagwe Constituency after deputy secretary for environment and tourism Cde Auxilia Mnangagwa was nominated unopposed.

The Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe Constituency fell vacant following the elevation of Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa to become Vice President which saw him ceasing to be a Member of Parliament by operation of the law.