Zanu PF gained seven National Assembly seats from the nine vacant constituencies following Sengezo Tshabangu’s recall of elected Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MPs amid a low voter turnout in Saturday’s by-elections.
Only two of Tshabangu’s parliamentary candidates in Bulawayo were successful in Lobengula-Magwegwe and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi while Zanu PF grabbed the rest of the constituencies.
Before the by-election, Zanu PF won the Mabvuku-Tafara seat uncontested after the CCC candidate was barred in a last meeting court order.
On Saturday, Zanu PF won Binga North, Bulawayo South, Beitbridge West, Lupane East, Cowdray Park and Nketa.
A comparison of the Binga North by-election result and the result from the August general elections shows Zanu PF polled more votes in Saturday’s by-election, considering that Binga North has always been regarded as an opposition stronghold.
The ruling party is well on its way to a two-thirds majority, which would give it more power to amend the constitution if it wins more seats in the six by-elections scheduled for February 3 next year in Pelandaba Tshabalala, Goromonzi South, Chegutu West, Mkoba North, Seke, and Zvimba East.
After the August 23, 2023, national elections, Zanu PF had won 136 of the then-contested 209 National Assembly seats, with the CCC taking 73.
Following the death of an election candidate before the August elections, Zanu PF won one more seat in Gutu West in a by-election.
A two-thirds majority in the National Assembly is 186 because the National Assembly has 280 members (that is 210 elected members + 60 women chosen under PR and 10 youth quota seats).
During voting on Saturday, CITE learnt from some presiding officers in Bulawayo, who documented instances of voters refusing to vote after discovering that their preferred candidates were not on the ballot papers, said this may have influenced the low voter turnout.
Observers such as the Election Resource Centre (ERC) also noted that turnout was shockingly low, with only 15.7 percent of registered voters voting after the recalled CCC candidates were barred from running.
However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) noted that the commission was still to assess if the turnout was lower than previous polls.
“Turnout in other areas was a little bit high by midday; in other wards the turnout was 40 percent. At that time in other wards turnout was much much lower. You would understand that ordinarily by-elections attract low percentages for this one we are still to assess whether it was lower or not but generally we are able to make better assessments after closure of the polling process,” said ZEC Chief Elections Officer, Utloile Silaigwana while addressing media on Saturday evening .
Below are the results:
Bulawayo South (Bulawayo)
Zanu PF Rajeshkumari Modi – 1 608 votes
CCC James Sithole – 1 130 votes.
Mpopoma-Mzilikazi (Bulawayo
CCC (Tshabangu)Charles Moyo – 1 632
Zanu PF Karamba Dzingai – 1 097
Independent Pardon Tapfumaneyi – 654
DOP Blessings Sibanda – 47
Lobengula Magwegwe (Bulawayo)
CCC (Tshabangu) Tendayi Chitura Nyathi – 1 648
Zanu PF Menziwa Dube – 1 318
Cowdray Park (Bulawayo)
Zanu PF Aurther Mujeyi – 1 765
CCC (Tshabangu ) Vusumuzi Chirwa – 1 560
Nketa (Bulawayo)
Zanu PF Tawanda Albert Mavunga – 1 550
CCC (Tshabangu) Ambrose Sibindi – 1 439
DOP Luckmore Gwetu – 117
Binga North (Matabeleland North
Zanu PF Chineka Muchimba – 9 882
CCC (Tshabangu) Judith Sibanda – 1 004
Lupane East (Matabeleland North
Zanu PF Phathisiwe Machangu – 6 863
CCC (Tshabangu) David Nyathi – 1 750
Beitbridge West Matabeleland South
Zanu PF Thusani Ndou – 4 929
ZAPU Thoriso Moyo – 255
Independent Brendan Blessing Dube – 366
