Zimpapers Logo

Felex Share Senior Reporter
President Mugabe has set September 19 as the date for the by-election in Epworth constituency that fell vacant following the death of Cde Amos Midzi in June. Cde Midzi died of poisoning in a case of suspected suicide and at the time of his death, he was serving a five-year suspension for his links to a faction led by expelled former Vice President Joice Mujuru that sought to topple President Mugabe.

The Epworth poll will be held on the same day with two other by-elections in Mbire and Marondera Central which fell vacant following the expulsion of Messrs David Butau and Ray Kaukonde over the same nefarious activities.

Elections were due in Mwenezi East on the same day, but zanu-pf’s Cde Joshua Moyo was nominated unopposed.

The Mwenezi East seat was declared vacant after Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti was fired from zanu-pf for his links to the Mujuru cabal.

In a Government Gazette published yesterday, President Mugabe said in terms of section 46 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), the Nomination Court for the Epworth by-election would sit on August 12 at the Magistrates’ Court, Rotten Row in Harare to receive nomination papers from interested candidates.

“Whereas as it is provided by section 39 (2) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), that after the President has been notified in terms of the said section of a vacancy in the membership of Parliament, he shall issue a proclamation ordering a new election to fill the vacancy in the same manner, mutatis mutandis, as is provided in section 38 of the said Act in regard to a general election;

“And whereas the speaker of Parliament has notified me in writing of a vacancy in Parliament due to the death of Amos Bernard Muvingwa Midzi, who was the elected Member of Parliament in the National Assembly for the constituency of Epworth.

“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do by this proclamation: fix Saturday the 19th day of September, 2015 as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46 (17(c) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2: 13).”

zanu-pf has bagged all the by-elections that have come its way since the 2013 harmonised elections, with MDC-T chickening out of all contests except filling the predetermined proportional representation seats.