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Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
ZANU-PF has gained more ground in the Midlands Province after it pocketed three council seats in the by-elections conducted in Mberengwa and Redcliff last weekend.
In Mberengwa, the by-elections were conducted in Ward 26 (Chingoma) which was declared vacant following the death of Zanu-PF councillor Join Chirikure after a short illness.

Cde Happious Shirichena of Zanu-PF garnered 890 votes ahead of MDC-T’s Simbarashe Hove who polled 107 votes.

In Redcliff, the by-elections were conducted in Wards 5 and 8 following the expulsion of two MDC-T councillors, Mr Onward Mujaji and Mr Takura Chikwira on allegations of nominating and voting for a Zanu-PF mayoral candidate, councillor Fred Kapuya.

In Ward 5, Cde Phillip Chuma bagged 631 votes against MDC-T candidate, Mr Rogers Mugadza’s 146 while in Ward 8, Zanu-PF candidate, Cde Josephine Mutamangira won by a small margin after polling 121 votes against 118 bagged by her bitter rival Mr Lawrence Majada of MDC-T and National Constitution Assembly’s Ephraim Mufakwadziya got nine votes.

Zanu-PF now has four council seats in Redcliff out of nine.

Zanu-PF Midlands spokesperson Cde Cornelius Mpereri said the results showed that the party had endeared itself to the electorate through its people-centred empowerment programmes.

“We are happy that we retained the Mberengwa seat and we also gained two more council seats in Redcliff. This is a clear testimony that Zanu-PF has continued to gain ground and has restored confidence in people,” he said.

The results of the elections were displayed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission at the respective polling stations.