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RESULTS of the just-ended harmonised elections had started trickling in from different parts of the country last night with Zanu-PF leading with 17 out of 19 National Assembly seats in Masvingo province while other constituencies were still collating results.
Zimbabweans across the country voted peacefully on Wednesday and the process continued until early Thursday following an extension of voting to compensate for logistical delays in opening of polling stations in some constituencies.
The election outcome is expected to usher in a President, new Parliament and councillors who would steer the country forward for the next five years.
In Masvingo results issued by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) provincial elections officer Mr Zex Pudurai show that Zanu-PF retained Chiredzi North seat with its candidate Cde Roy Bhila clinching 18 696 votes against 2 584 votes by Mrs Fungai Chamisa of CCC.
In Chiredzi South Cde Joel Sithole of Zanu-PF amassed 11 552 votes to defeat Mr Douglas Gumbo of CCC party who managed 7 528. Zanu-PF also won resoundingly in Chiredzi West constituency where its candidate Cde Darlington Chiwa garnered 15 054 votes against 6 554 that Mr Nhamoinesu Machigere of CCC registered.
In Chiredzi East Cde Siyaki Mundungehama of Zanu-PF romped to victory after he got 14 265 votes against 3 922 votes that Mr Godfrey Maluleke of CCC got. Mr Mahlupeko Vhurande of NCA settled for the wooden spoon with 262 votes.
The ruling party, however, lost in Chiredzi Central after its candidate Cde Francis Moyo managed 7 832 votes, losing to Mr Ropafadzo Makumire of CCC party who got 12 342 votes. Independent candidate Mr Gibson Hwende anchored the contestants with 676 votes.
Already, Zanu-PF has been declared as the winner in 90 local authority wards across the country where its candidates were elected unopposed.
According to preliminary election results from ZEC’s National Command Centre in Harare, Zanu-PF had 80 males and 10 females that won unopposed in 90 wards.
The Midlands province topped the list with 27 candidates from the revolutionary party duly declared as winners followed by Mashonaland Central province, which had 24 wards.
Mashonaland West won 12 wards while Mashonaland East garnered 13 wards unopposed.
Masvingo province had four wards under Zanu-PF while Matabeleland North and South had three and six wards respectively with Manicaland province getting one ward.
After the release of the constituency results, ZEC will proceed to announce the full tally from the Presidential results. The collation of the Presidential results is done at the National Results Centre.
In Bulawayo voting at some of the polling stations ended early Thursday morning following an extension of voting to compensate for delays incurred due to logistical issues linked to the delivery of ballot papers.
Acting Bulawayo Provincial Elections Officer Mrs Pretty Gadzikwa yesterday said collation of results was still underway by end of the day and that it would continue throughout the night.
“All our command areas are collating the results for various candidates and also various ports. For Bulawayo Central, 90 percent of wards at local authority has been collated, Imbizo District only 27 percent has been collated at ward level,” she said.
“In Mzilikazi due to the delays the collating will run through the night and we are expecting the completion of collation of all wards at 10PM. We might also get from Bulawayo Central.”
In Bulawayo North Constituency, Minenhle Ntandoyenkosi Gumede of CCC garnered 10 260 votes to become the winner against opponents; Sibonokuhle Khumalo (DOP) with 182 votes, Frank Mhlanga (UZA) with 356 votes, and Cde Nkosana Mnkandla (Zanu-PF) with 2 679 votes.
In Hwange East preliminary results indicated that the Zanu-PF won Nemananga, Chikandakubi, Jambezi, Sidinda, Simangani, Kamativi and Sinamatela council wards out of 17 wards.
In Hwange Central Zanu-PF also won in wards 7 and 10 with the other 13 wards going to CCC. In Victoria Falls, Zanu-PF retained ward 6 while CCC won nine wards while ward 2 went to an independent candidate Mr Tafadzva Mutowa.
Announcing the results for Hwange West, constituency elections officer Mr Douglas Siatimba declared Mr Vusumuzi Moyo of CCC duly elected after he got 7 954 beating Zanu-PF’s Cde Philani Moyo who got 7 504 votes.
Outgoing Victoria Falls Mayor Somveli Dlamini of MDC-T got 1 985 votes and Mr Ditshoni Nkomo of Zapu got 136.
In Hwange Central, Mr Daniel Molokele retained the seat with 9 167 votes against Cde Reeds Dube of Zanu-PF who got 5 157. The other candidates were Mr Harriet Nyathi of Free Zim Congress who got 74 votes, Mr Salani Nkomazana of MDC-T who got 102 votes and Mr Brian Chinene who got 225 votes as an independent and Mr Cosmas Ndlovu who got 646 also as an independent candidate.
There were 178 rejected ballot papers and percentage poll was 65,4 percent in Hwange Central and 222 rejected votes in Hwange West. Official results for Hwange East had not been sent by the time of going to press.
In Gwanda constituency elections officer for Gwanda-Tshitaudze Constituency Mr Sydney Sibanda declared Zanu-PF’s Cde Fisani Moyo with 8 671 votes against CCC’s Mr Jastone Mazhale’s 5 839 votes. He was followed by Zapu’s Mr Luckson Ncube who got 271 votes.
In Beitbridge East Mr John Manatsa (CCC) garnered votes, Madubeko Macnamara (Zanu-PF) got 981 votes, and Deligent Ndlovu (Independent) 19 votes.
In ward 15 Beitbridge rural, Zanu-PF’s Oscar Chiromo scored 899 votes against CCC’s Daniel Muleya who polled 271 votes under Beitbridge East.
In Beitbridge East ward 2 Rural, Gift Munyai, Zanu-PF 1 012 votes vs Samuel Kwinda of CCC with 145 ballots.
Beitbridge East ward 3 rural, Khaulani Ndou, of Zanu-PF got 930 votes and Maluwana Mbedzi of CCC got 99 votes.
In Ward 13 Rural resettlement areas Alfred Chibi of Zanu-PF polled 1 215 votes vs CCC Steven Mbedzi who received 137 votes.
In Ward 1 Rural, Enock Ndou, Zanu-PF got 834 votes against Shandukani Shoko of CCC who got 251 votes.
Under Beitbridge Municipality, Ward 2, Portia Shumba (CCC) was declared winner with 1 235 votes against Cde Felix Venge, Zanu-PF who got 761 votes.
Online Reporter