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He said Cde Utete conceded defeat before voting ended hence elections were not conducted in the remaining districts.
“Cde Moyo got 6 689 votes while Cde Utete got 674. There were a total of 52 spoilt papers and the voter turnout was 47 percent. We expected a total of 18 666 people to vote, but 47 percent of the electorate voted, as Cde Utete accepted the results before the voting process was complete.”
Cde Shamu congratulated Cde Moyo and commended the province for voting peacefully.
“It is therefore my singular honour to declare Cde Moyo the duly elected Matabeleland North provincial chairman. On behalf of the party, I would like to thank the provincial leadership for voting peacefully.
“We want party members to vote in the same peaceful spirit and demonstrate maturity in all our provincial elections,” said Cde Shamu.
He urged Cde Moyo to be loyal, transparent and uphold the party’s values.
“The province has entrusted Cde Moyo and elected him to be their chairman. I therefore would like to urge the new chairman to take responsibility of making sure that the province is one big family.
“I would like to urge Cde Moyo to be a chairman of high integrity, transparency and loyalty. Everything you do should aim at promoting the party and the people in the province not for individual or personal interests,” Cde Shamu said.
He called on the new chairman to resolve issues fairly saying those who voted for him and those who did not vote for him were now under his leadership.
In his acceptance speech, Cde Moyo said the party leadership had ensured democracy prevailed during the election.
“I would like to thank Governor Thokozile Mathuthu, who was the acting chairperson and the province for the support. No one has won the elections and no one has lost the elections but Zanu-PF has won in Matabeleland North. Our party does not only preach democracy but practises democracy.
“Our leadership said no to imposition of candidates and democracy was practised when party members used the secret ballot to vote peacefully and freely,” said Cde Moyo.
He said he would engage Cde Utete for advice on how the province will mobilise, campaign and win during the forthcoming referendum and harmonised elections.
Cde Moyo said his immediate task was to organise for the party’s national people’s conference to be held in Gweru next week.
“Matabeleland North should go to Gweru as one and rally behind President Mugabe whose candidature we have already endorsed,” he said.
Governor Mathuthu was acting chairperson following the suspension of another acting chairman Cde Zwelitsha Masuku, who had been acting since Cde Zenzo Ncube’s suspension.
The election results were announced to scores of party supporters.
Online Reporter