By Promise Dube
Four candidates are set to contest the upcoming by-election in Insiza North, following the death of sitting Zanu-PF MP, Farai Taruvinga.
The candidates are Thabani Mlotshwa of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), Delani Moyo of Zanu-PF, Mbongeni Moyo of the Zimbabwe National Revival Party (NRP), and Leslie Dube, who is standing as an independent.
Joel Mabhena of the Mthwakazi Republic Party was disqualified after failing to secure the required number of nominators.
The nomination court sat on Thursday at the Gwanda Provincial Magistrates’ Court. Two candidates, Dube and Mlotshwa, submitted their nomination papers before the court formally opened, while the remaining candidates filed theirs on the day.
The by-election, scheduled for 14 June, was triggered by the death of Taruvinga in March after a long battle with cancer. He was first elected in the 2018 harmonised elections and retained the seat in the 2023 general elections.
Dube recently resigned from the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC), under whose banner he previously served as a councillor. In his resignation letter, he cited unspecified internal challenges, saying he could no longer pursue his political mission within the party.
Meanwhile, Delani Moyo emerged victorious in the Zanu-PF primary election held on Tuesday. The poll followed a re-run prompted by allegations of vote-buying and rigging.