Zanu-PF set to reclaim Mazowe North seat

Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party is expected to reclaim a parliamentary seat in an easy by-election in Mazowe North.

The villagers go to vote on July 23, according to Statutory Instrument 48A/2016, gazetted on May 11. The presidential proclamation called for the nomination day to be May 27 at Bindura Magistrates' Courts.

"I do, by this my proclamation, order a new election for the constituency of Mazowe North," President Robert Mugabe said in the proclamation.

"I fix Saturday the 23rd day of July, 2016, as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of Section 46 (17) (C) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).

Mugabe also notified the Speaker of National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, of the existence of the vacancy.

Mazowe North, has been vacant since the death on March 17 of Edgar Chidavaenzi of Zanu-PF and is the only current vacant seat in Parliament.

Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has said it is boycotting that special vote, protesting an uneven electoral playing field.

This comes after the MDC also shunned the April 23 Guruve South by-election, won by Zanu-PF candidate, Patrick Dutiro, who beat the National Constitutional Assembly's Simbarashe Mutsvene.

Dutiro, the new Zanu-PF MP for Guruve South, was sworn in on May 10.

The Guruve South seat fell vacant after the Zanu-PF representative Criswell Mutematsaka lost the seat in terms of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution when he was expelled from the governing party.

Meanwhile, Tabeth Murwira, new Zanu-PF party-list Senator for Mashonaland East province, was sworn in on May 10.

The seat fell vacant after Olivia Nyembezi Muchena, ex-Senator for Mashonaland East, ceased to be a member of Zanu-PF.