Mnangagwa to proclaim by-election dates next month

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said he would proclaim by-election dates in early January next year.

Mnangagwa, who was addressing journalists after a politburo meeting, said he was not going away for holidays.

"I am not going anywhere, I will be here. This was our last meeting this side of the year, but we will be back here early next year because I will make a proclamation for elections in January and then come back here because these are the foot-soldiers," Mnangagwa said.

Early this month, Mnangagwa said the by-elections would be held in March next year.

There are 133 vacant local government and parliamentary seats following the recall of MDC Alliance legislators and councillors.

Mnangagwa said his party would win seats previously held by the MDC Alliance, especially in the urban areas where Zanu-PF accuses the opposition of poor service delivery.

Addressing his first Press conference as party spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa claimed Zanu-PF had to use emergency funds to save local authorities from collapse at the hands of the MDC Alliance.

"It's time the electorate showed them the way out because they have failed to run the local authorities. We have had to use emergency funds to maintain roads," Mutsvangwa said.

Zanu-PF, which dissolved its provincial co-ordinating committees yesterday, said it would run its internal elections during the festive season.

Zanu-PF commissar Mike Bimha, said the party had put provinces under the control of politburo members, who would supervise and run the elections.

He said they expected violent free internal polls where all those interested would be allowed to contest without interference.