ZEC confirms Victoria Falls by-elections after councillor recall drama

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has confirmed that by-elections will be held in Victoria Falls Wards 9, 10 and 11 following the recall of three councillors, signalling that the electoral process is now underway despite continuing disputes over the removals.

Responding to questions from VicFallsLive, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Simbarashe Tongayi said the commission has provisionally scheduled the by-elections for August 1, 2026.

The vacancies arose after councillors Mthunzi Mpofu (Ward 9), Nkanyiso Sibindi (Ward 10) and Daniel Moyo (Ward 11) were removed from office following recall notices communicated to the City of Victoria Falls by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

Tongayi said a notice announcing the by-elections was published on June 17 and preparations are already underway ahead of the nomination process.

"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has provisionally set the 1st of August 2026 as the date for the conduct of Wards 9, 10 and 11 of Victoria Falls Municipality by-elections for the vacancies," Tongayi said.

He said aspiring candidates will appear before the Nomination Court on July 1 at the Town Clerk's Office in Victoria Falls between 10am and 4pm.

Tongayi added that voter education campaigns have already begun in the affected wards to inform residents about the vacancies and the nomination process.

"The voter education exercise currently ongoing in Wards 9, 10 and 11 is meant to raise awareness on the existence of the vacancies and requirements for one to stand as a candidate," he said.

ZEC's confirmation moves the matter into the formal electoral phase even as questions surrounding the recalls remain unresolved.

The recalls sparked dramatic scenes during a recent full council meeting after letters announcing the removal of the three councillors were read before councillors and council officials.

During the meeting, the affected councillors disputed the recalls, arguing that they had not been formally notified before the letters were presented to the council. They also questioned the circumstances surrounding their removal from office.

The controversy deepened after Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) faction leader and self-styled interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu published a statement on social media identifying the three councillors as having been recalled for allegedly failing to adhere to party principles and guidelines.

However, the statement did not specify the alleged breaches committed by the councillors.

Efforts to obtain comment from some of the affected councillors, including Daniel Moyo, were unsuccessful.

With the election timetable now announced, political parties and aspiring candidates have until nomination day to lodge their papers ahead of the August 1 by-elections.