Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporters

WINNING Zanu PF candidates yesterday paid tribute to President Mnangagwa for his policies that have attracted voters to the ruling party.

In Masvingo Zanu PF maintained its position as the dominant and undisputed political force after managing to retain all the local authority wards and the house of assembly seats that were at stake during Saturday’s by-election.

The ruling party retained the Chivi South parliamentary seat after Cde Munyaradzi Zizhou romped to victory. The seat was previously under Zanu PF after Mr Killer Zivhu won it in 2018 on a Zanu PF ticket before he was expelled from the party.

In Mwenezi East Cde Master Makope helped Zanu PF to retain the seat on Saturday after romping to victory, further confirming Mwenezi as a ruling party fortress. The seat was previously under Zanu PF after businessman Cde Joosbi Omar won it in 2018 before he passed on.

Out of the nine local authority by-elections that were at stake Zanu PF won five in Bikita, Chiredzi, and Chivi while CCC bagged four wards that were being contested in Masvingo City.

The victory by Zanu PF in councils in Chivi, Chiredzi, and Bikita confirmed the party’s solid support base in rural areas.

Cde Zizhou was ecstatic about his victory in Chivi South and paid tribute to President Mnangagwa for rolling out policies that resonated with the rural populace where the majority of people live.

“I am very happy with the outcome though a lot more people failed to vote because of rains. Real work now begins, we must now build on this victory for an even higher margin in 2023 general elections,” said Cde Zizhou.

His Mwenezi East counterpart Cde Makope dedicated his victory to the people of his constituency and paid homage to President Mnangagwa for implementing projectsthat have a direct bearing on people’s lives.

He singled out the ongoing rural industrialisation agenda epitomised by the Marula/Mapfura Processing and Value Addition Plant at Rutenga Growth Point in Mwenezi as a flagship project that is positively impacting on the lives of rural people.

Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chair Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa said results from the by-elections showed his party remained the party of choice in the province.

“Going forward, I think we are in good shape as a party to maintain our dominance in Masvingo province and we have a number of strategies that we will employ to maintain our grip on the Masvingo political landscape.

Cde Misheck Mugadza

“We are even confident that come 2023 we will even wrestle the Masvingo Urban parliamentary seat from the opposition,” said Cde Mavhenyengwa.

In Mashonaland East Zanu PF retained Marondera East and Murewa South constituencies during Saturday’s by-elections, winning both with wide margins, a clear indication that the electorate has faith in the revolutionary party.

In Murewa South constituency, Cde Nyasha Masoka of Zanu PF won with 11 125 votes, while 1 729 people voted for CCC’s Rodrick Munemo, MDC Alliance got 309 and United Democratic Party got 94 votes.

This means Cde Masoka of Zanu PF is now the Murewa South constituency legislator, filling the seat which was left after the death of Cde Joel Biggie Matiza who succumbed to Covid-19 related complications last year.

In Marondera East constituency, Cde Jeremiah Chiwetu of Zanu PF won with 9 379 votes against Simon Machekanyanga of CCC who got a paltry 1 874 while MDC’s Thomas Tasarirenhamo trailed with 109 votes with Moses Mandaza of ZLP getting only 69.

Marondera East constituency became vacant after the death of Patrick Chidhakwa of Zanu PF who passed away in South Africa due to Covid-19 complications last year.

However, the ruling party lost to CCC in the Marondera Central constituency.

In an interview with The Herald from Murewa South yesterday, Cde Masoka thanked the electorate for putting their faith in Zanu PF by choosing him to represent them in Parliament.

“I am excited with this win and we are going to work with all stakeholders on development programmes. We want people to tell us what exactly they want us to do for them and we will do that. We also want our people to do sustainable projects. We are going to teach them how to do income-generating projects and then assist them.

“We will continue rehabilitating roads, drilling boreholes, and equipping various schools with computers and many other programmes for the people of Murewa South.

“I want to thank the people who voted for me. They put their faith in me and I will not disappoint them,” Cde Masoka said.

Cde Chiwetu of Zanu PF who won in the Marondera East constituency promised to continue working with the people and leaving no place and no one behind in terms of developmental programmes and projects.

“I want to thank the people of Marondera East for voting Zanu PF and trusting me to represent them. We have a lot of programmes, some of which we had already started for the people.  I will represent my constituency well and once again I want to thank the electorate and the President for making sure Zanu PF wins resoundingly.”

In Manicaland Zanu PF winning candidate for Mutasa South, Cde Misheck Mugadza hailed the electorate for having faith in him.

Cde Mugadza polled 5 818 votes against former MP, Mr Regai Tsungai of Citizens Coalition of had 5 269, Mr Tauzeni Pedzisai of MDC Alliance (162), Ms Eurydice Lynette Ndoro (Independent) 50.

In an interview, Cde Mugadza said the constituency needs a development-oriented leader who ensures that people’s lives are improved.

“I want to thank the electorate for having confidence in me. I will ensure that we deliver on all promises we made to the electorate. I also want to thank President Mnangagwa and the party for having confidence in me.

“Mutasa South is endowed with a lot of resources and will leverage on them. We will ensure organised gold mining syndicates for youths, while we will fully utilise the water from the rivers which meander in the constituency,” said Cde Mugadza.

It was a moment of joy and jubilation in Epworth for Zanu PF supporters after their candidate, Cde Zelarah Makari, reclaimed the seat from the opposition.

Party supporters were in an ecstatic mood, singing and chanting revolutionary songs peacefully stamping their authority in Epworth.

The Herald witnessed some Zanu PF party supporters chanting revolutionary songs.

Cde Makari polled 10 248 votes against CCC candidate Mr Etheridge Kureva who got 8 283 votes.

Across the country, Zanu PF has retained the seats it won in the 2018 harmonised elections and made inroads in opposition strongholds. In Mashonaland West, Zanu PF won in four urban wards ,making incremental gains.