News / National
Mnangagwa, Chamisa square off in Bikita by-election
09 Jun 2019 at 07:36hrs | Views
President Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa may not want to be in the same room to dialogue the way forward for the economy but will have a date in the ballot box as both their parties will battle it out in the Bikita West Ward 31council by-election slated for July 13.
The council seat fell vacant following the death of Zanu-PF Councillor Patrick Marozhe on April 15 this year.
Three political parties filed for nomination with Zanu-PF being represented by Thomas Mataga, MDC represented by Moses Maposa and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) represented by Peter Mavenga.
Zimbabwe Election Commission (Zec) Masvingo provincial head, Zex Pudurai said it was all systems go for the by-election which will be held on July 13.
"We are happy with our state of preparedness. Three political parties have gone through the nomination court and brought forward three candidates and we are ready for other subsequent processes that need to be followed.
"We are also pleased with the peaceful environment that we are seeing ahead of the by-election," said Pudurai.
The opposition MDC held their primary elections at Mandadzaka Primary School last week, May 29 and a paltry 148 members voted raising serious concerns on the future of the party in the ward.
Presided over by a national organising team led by Tamsanqa Dangazela and Farai Chinobva, the primary elections were won by Maposa, who is the party's district chairperson.
"We are already working hard to market our candidate to the electorate because he is the best person to represent the interests of Ward 31 residents in council.
"We are a party of excellence so the people of Ward 31 have the best candidate in Maphosa," said MDC provincial youth leader Kudakwashe Bhadharai, who is a resident of Bikita East himself.
Maposa served as MDC councillor in the same ward between 2008 and 2013.
Zanu-PF candidate Mataga, who last year contested in the party's primary elections for Bikita East and lost to current Member of Parliament (MP) Johnson Madhuku, the election is just a formality as his party will walk over all the other contestants.
"We are ready for the challenge. As Zanu-PF, we will launch our campaign on 09 June at Mandadzaka Primary School and we will then be hard at work from that day onwards. We are confident that we will retain our council seat because we are doing many developmental projects in the communities," said Mataga.
Mavenga will represent the Professor Lovemore Madhuku-led NCA and the party's district chairperson Ernest Rambe expressed confidence in victory.
"The people now know that only the NCA is capable of delivering on their needs because it is a party founded on constitutionalism and good governance. We take this by-election seriously because local governance is key to good service delivery," said Rambe.
Zanu-PF last month lost another council by-election in Mutasa constituency's Ward 10 despite them being accused of employing vote buying antics.
The council seat fell vacant following the death of Zanu-PF Councillor Patrick Marozhe on April 15 this year.
Three political parties filed for nomination with Zanu-PF being represented by Thomas Mataga, MDC represented by Moses Maposa and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) represented by Peter Mavenga.
Zimbabwe Election Commission (Zec) Masvingo provincial head, Zex Pudurai said it was all systems go for the by-election which will be held on July 13.
"We are happy with our state of preparedness. Three political parties have gone through the nomination court and brought forward three candidates and we are ready for other subsequent processes that need to be followed.
"We are also pleased with the peaceful environment that we are seeing ahead of the by-election," said Pudurai.
The opposition MDC held their primary elections at Mandadzaka Primary School last week, May 29 and a paltry 148 members voted raising serious concerns on the future of the party in the ward.
Presided over by a national organising team led by Tamsanqa Dangazela and Farai Chinobva, the primary elections were won by Maposa, who is the party's district chairperson.
"We are a party of excellence so the people of Ward 31 have the best candidate in Maphosa," said MDC provincial youth leader Kudakwashe Bhadharai, who is a resident of Bikita East himself.
Maposa served as MDC councillor in the same ward between 2008 and 2013.
Zanu-PF candidate Mataga, who last year contested in the party's primary elections for Bikita East and lost to current Member of Parliament (MP) Johnson Madhuku, the election is just a formality as his party will walk over all the other contestants.
"We are ready for the challenge. As Zanu-PF, we will launch our campaign on 09 June at Mandadzaka Primary School and we will then be hard at work from that day onwards. We are confident that we will retain our council seat because we are doing many developmental projects in the communities," said Mataga.
Mavenga will represent the Professor Lovemore Madhuku-led NCA and the party's district chairperson Ernest Rambe expressed confidence in victory.
"The people now know that only the NCA is capable of delivering on their needs because it is a party founded on constitutionalism and good governance. We take this by-election seriously because local governance is key to good service delivery," said Rambe.
Zanu-PF last month lost another council by-election in Mutasa constituency's Ward 10 despite them being accused of employing vote buying antics.
Source - tellzim
