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Zvamaida Murwira

Senior Reporter

Zanu PF has completed its primary elections process after successfully holding the main elections and re-runs.

Last weekend, Zanu PF held re-runs in 27 local authority wards.

The local authority elections signalled the end of the revolutionary party’s candidate selection process, with those that won going to represent Zanu PF during this year’s harmonised elections.

In an interview yesterday, Zanu PF National Political Commissar, Cde Mike Bimha, said they had completed the re-runs for ward elections, which were outstanding, with focus now shifting to the general elections.

“We are through with the re-runs. Most of them were held on Saturday but there were those that were deferred to today (yesterday) in Mutoko to allow for the funeral parade of national hero Cde Abraham Kabasa,” said Cde Bimha.

“We are happy with the progress covered and we have now come to an end of our primary elections because all the re-runs were done.”

Cde Bimha said there were no incidents of violence during the re-runs at the weekend, in what he said was a demonstration of political maturity by political players involved.

The re-runs were held in areas affected by new delimitation boundaries, some cases of violence in the previous vote, and polling of the same number of votes.

Cde Bimha said announcement of results from the re-runs would be done at ward level, not at the party headquarters as was done for National Assembly primary elections.

In Harare Metropolitan, re-runs took place in Ward 28 in Glen Norah where Cde Mary Mupindahama battled it out with Cde Champion Mazakeyo after they polled the same number of votes during the first election.

There were also re-runs in Chitungwiza’s Ward 2 in Zengeza West and 25 other wards across the country where candidates polled the same number of votes.

In Mashonaland Central, Wards 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Mazowe North were affected by the delimitation process, and re-runs were needed in Ward 24 in Mazowe, and Ward 24 in Mount Darwin and Ward 10 in Bindura.

In Mashonaland East, re-runs were held in Ward 14 Murewa, Ward 7 in Mutoko, Ward 24 Seke and Ward 19 Goromonzi.

In Mashonaland West, re-runs were held in three wards, Ward 3 Chakari, Ward 6 Mhondoro Ngezi and Ward 4 Kadoma Central.

In Matabeleland South Province, Wards 8 and 10 in Bulilima had to have re-runs as the initial winners have pending court cases and they voluntarily withdrew.

Other re-runs were held in Matabeleland North Province in Umguza, Hwange and Victoria Falls.

There were no cases of local authority re-runs in Masvingo, Bulawayo, Midlands and Manicaland provinces.