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George Maponga and Victor Maphosa Herald Reporters
Newly-elected Zanu PF leadership in Masvingo and Mashonaland East province has urged members to close ranks and work in unison to ensure that the party wins the forthcoming by-elections, which are a dress rehearsal for the watershed general elections in 2023.
The new executive led by Zaka North House of Assembly member Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa is upbeat about prospects of victory in the looming by-elections.
According to Cde Mavhenyengwa, the grand plan for the party in Masvingo is to ensure President Mnangagwa and the ruling party romp to an emphatic victory in the 2023 harmonised polls.
Cde Mavhenyengwa said to achieve the crushing win party cadres are supposed to unite and work towards a common purpose as by-elections and general elections beckon on 26 March this year and 2023 respectively.
In Masvingo there will be nine local Council by-elections and two parliamentary ones.
The two parliamentary by-elections will be held in Mwenezi East to replace a vacancy created following the death of Cde Joosbi Omar of Zanu PF.
Another parliamentary by-election is to be held in Chivi South to fill a vacancy left following the expulsion from Zanu-PF of Mr Killer Zivhu for treacherous behaviour.
Businessman Cde Munyaradzi Zizhou will represent Zanu PF in Chivi South while Cde Master Makope will stand for the ruling party in Mwenezi East.
Cde Mavhenyengwa and his executive, who assumed office following the recently held Zanu PF provincial elections, said his leadership will not conduct primary elections where candidates were chosen by the previous executive.
“We are calling on all party members to unite and work together so that we win the coming by-elections and also the 2023 harmonised elections. We must make sure our President Cde ED Mnangagwa and Zanu PF romp to a crushing victory.
“We have decided against holding fresh primary elections to choose candidates where elections have already been held so we will only go for primary elections in Ward 8(Chivi North) and Ward 24(Chivi South ahead of the by-elections.”
The new Zanu PF Masvingo chair said the coming by-elections were a test case for the 2023 harmonised elections saying the ruling party needed to win resoundingly and build on that momentum in next year’s polls.
Meanwhile in Mashonaland East Province the provincial leadership has called on party members to remain peaceful and united and always adhere to the party constitution.
In Mashonaland East Province, there are three vacant seats for the House of Assembly and 10 for local authorities.
The three constituencies which will be contested are Marondera Central and East and Murehwa South.
Murehwa South constituency fell vacant after its representative Cde Joel Biggie Matiza succumbed to Covid-19 related complications last year, while Marondera South fell vacant after its representative Cde Patrick Chidhakwa died in South Africa, and the Marondera Central seat became vacant after the MDC A MP was recalled last year.
Eight candidates will contest for the Marondera Central constituency seat, while nine will battle it out for the Marondera East constituency and five will fight to represent Murehwa South constituency.
Yesterday, the province held its coordinating committee meeting where the call for unity and peace was made and emphasised.
Speaking during the PCC meeting held in Marondera, ZANU PF Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman Cde Daniel Garwe said the primary elections should unite the party.
“These primary elections should not make us enemies. We should emerge stronger and remain united after these elections and we should rally behind those who will win, as we prepare for the by-elections in March. All of us have a duty and work to do, there is a lot ahead of us. We should work hard,” he said.
Online Reporter