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Acting President Emerson Mnangagwa and wife Auxillia Mnangagwa

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife Auxillia has submitted her curriculum vitae to contest the Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe parliamentary by-election set for March 27 to replace her husband following his elevation to the post of VP.

She is deputy secretary for Environment and Tourism in the Zanu-PF Politburo.

She was on the Zanu-PF party list for the senatorial seat for the July 31 2013 harmonised elections, but could not make it to the Upper House because the party got four out of six seats in the province under the proportional representation system.

She wanted to represent Kwekwe-Chirumhanzu as its senator after garnering more than 17 000 votes at the party’s primary elections. Zanu-PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cde Cornelius Mupereri said on Thursday that the provincial elections directorate would meet next week to consider applications.

According to the national Constitution, a parliamentary seat falls vacant upon its holder becoming a Vice President or President.

“So far Cde Mnangagwa is the only one who has expressed interest, but we are waiting to see if others will also submit their CVs,” said Cde Mupereri after a provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held in Gweru yesterday.

“We have already called for party comrades in that area to submit their CVs so that the provincial elections directorate can look at them.

“If there is more than one CV then we would have to hold primary elections, but if no one else expresses interest then Cde Mnangagwa will represent the party.”

Speaking to party members in Gweru on Wednesday, Vice President Mnangagwa, who is the Acting President, encouraged other party members to contest his wife.

“After Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe was declared vacant, I heard that Mrs Mnangagwa submitted her CV so that she could be considered as a candidate for the seat under the Zanu-PF ticket.

“However, do not be intimidated because she is the Vice President’s wife. Any interested candidate is eligible to represent the party in the by-election. Whoever is interested must bring their CVs.”

Cde Mnangagwa said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was in the process of inspecting and compiling the voter’s roll ahead of the by-election.

President Mugabe ordered that by-elections be held for Mt Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituencies on March 27, with the nomination courts expected to sit on January 29.

The two seats fell vacant following the elevation of Cde Mnangagwa (Chirumanzu-Zibagwe) to the post of Vice President on December 10 last year and Cde Joice Mujuru (Mt Darwin West) when she assumed the same Government post on September 11 2013.

President Mugabe announced the by-election date in an extraordinary Government Gazette published last Saturday, saying in terms of section 46 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) the nomination courts would sit at the Magistrates Court, Main Street, Bindura and the Magistrates Court Main Street, Gweru.