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From George Maponga in Masvingo
Zanu-PF maintained its dominance over Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) after its candidate for Masvingo Rural District Council Ward 12 trounced the embattled opposition party led by former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru’s representative at the weekend. The revolutionary party, which recently won the Bikita West and Chimanimani West parliamentary by-elections, retained the council seat after its candidate, Cde William Shangwa, garnered 1 471 votes against Mrs Rosiwita Madzivire of ZimPF who managed 545 votes in the Saturday by-elections.

The by-election was held to fill a vacancy that arose after Mrs Madzivire was expelled from Zanu-PF for links to the embattled ZimPF.

Mrs Madzivire had been elected Ward 12 councillor under Masvingo RDC on a ruling party ticket during the 2013 harmonised elections.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Masvingo provincial elections officer Cde Zex Pudurai announced that Cde Shangwa was the duly elected councillor for Ward 12 in Masvingo Rural.

The poll outcome further consolidated Zanu-PF’s political dominance over the opposition ZimPF in Masvingo Province.

The ruling party first clobbered ZimPF last month in a parliamentary by-election in Bikita West constituency.

Cde Beauty Chabaya of Zanu-PF amassed 13 156 votes to land the ZimPF a body blow in the by-election.

Mr Kudakwashe Gopo of ZimPF came a distant second after getting a paltry 2 453 votes in a poll dubbed as a trial run for the 2018 harmonised elections.

The heavy drubbing visited upon ZimPF in Bikita West precipitated infighting that culminated in a split in the opposition party with interim leader Dr Mujuru firing senior party members led by Messrs Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo among others.

Mr Mutasa and his allies hit back by also expelling Dr Mujuru arguing they were the custodians of the party by virtue of being founding members.

Zanu-PF and ZimPF are set to square off again in the Mwenezi East parliamentary by-election set for April 8 this year.

The by-election will be held to fill a vacancy created by the death of Zanu-PF legislator for the constituency, Cde Joshua Moyo, in December last year.

The ruling party’s candidate, Cde Joosbi Omar, will tussle with former Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, who will contest on a ZimPF ticket.