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Talent Hwari Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has gazetted Cde Beauty Chabaya’s victory as a duly elected Member of Parliament for Bikita West. Cde Chabaya, of the ruling Zanu-PF polled 13 156, while Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) candidate Kudakwashe Gopo garnered 2 453 votes. Other candidates in the by-election performed dismally and failed to garner significant votes.

In a Government gazette published on Friday, ZEC chief elections officer Mrs Constance Chigwamba confirmed the election results.

“It is hereby notified that, in terms of sector 68 of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that, following conduct of the by-election held on the 21st of January 2017, in the Bikita West Assembly constituency, Beauty Chabaya of Zanu-PF party has, with effect from the 22nd of January, 2017, been duly elected as a member of the National Assembly for Bikita West constituency,” said Mrs Chigwamba.

Cde Chabaya has since been sworn in as a Member of Parliament. The seat fell vacant following the conviction of former Zanu-PF lawmaker Munyaradzi Kereke, who is serving a 10-year jail term for raping a minor.

Cde Chabaya, who defied all odds during party primaries and outwitted heavy weights like Cde Elias Musakwa, recently said she was an experienced politician who participated in Zanu-PF activities from a tender age.

“You know what, I am a seasoned politician, even Minister (Shuvai) Mahofa can be my witness,” she said. “I started participating in politics when I was a toddler. Before I even knew how to eat sadza — I was already in politics.

“I urge those in opposition parties to come home to Zanu-PF. We have witnessed people from ZimPF coming back to Zanu-PF.”

Cde Chabaya’s win in Bikita West contributed in throwing ZimPF, led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, into disarray, with expulsions and counter expulsions following the by-election.

The first casualty was Retired Colonel Cludious Makova, who resigned in shame after he defied advice from his colleagues when he pushed for Gopo as the party’s candidate.

With the combination of other factors, the by-election loss led to Mujuru dismissing seven of her closest allies and former colleagues in Zanu-PF from the party.

The seven convened their own meeting and announced that they had in turn, expelled Mujuru from being the interim leader of ZimPF.