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Cde Omar

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission last Friday gazetted the Mwenezi East by-election results in which Zanu-PF candidate Cde Joosbi Omar trounced two other candidates.

ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau gazetted the results in terms of the Electoral Act.

Cde Omar garnered 18 700 votes, shrugging off challenges from Mr Welcome Masuku of NCA, who was a distant second with 482 votes, while Mr Turner Mhango of Free Zimbabwe Congress Party polled 386 votes.

“It is hereby notified that, in terms of Section 68 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), Omar Joosbi of Zanu-PF party has with effect from April 9, 2017, been duly elected as a member of the National Assembly for Mwenezi East Constituency,” read the notice.

The by-election followed the death in December last year of Cde Joshua Moyo of Zanu-PF, who was the Member of National Assembly for the constituency.

Initially, there were supposed to be four candidates in the by-election, but ex-Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (now of ZimPF) pulled out after succeeding at the Nomination Court.

Cde Omar is now set to be sworn in by Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda when Parliament resumes sitting next month.

In a related matter, the MDC-T has nominated Gideon Shoko to fill in a vacancy created by the death of Mr Victor Mapungwana in the Senate.

“It is hereby notified, in terms of Section 39 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), that the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party has nominated Gideon Shoko, a registered voter in Ward 25 of Bulawayo Municipality, 5640, Nketa 9, Bulawayo, to fill the vacancy in the Senate that occurred following the death of Victor Mapungwana,” read the notice issued by Justice Makarau.

“Any voter wishing to object to the nomination of Gideon Shoko may lodge their objections in writing with the Chief Elections Officer at Mahachi Quantum Building, corner Kaguvi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare, or post them to Private Bag 7782, Causeway, within a period of 14 days from the date of publication of this notice, setting forth the reasons for the objections.”

Justice Makarau had also issued a notice to the effect that the electoral body had received notice on the existence of a vacancy in the Senate following the death of Mr Mapungwana.