Nkulumane by-election date set

Herald Reporter
PRESIDENT Mugabe has fixed December 19 2015 as the date for a by-election for Nkulumane constituency to replace Mr Thamsanqa Mahlangu (MDC-T), who died early this month.

The announcement was made in the Government Gazette published yesterday in terms of Section 39 (2) of the Electoral Act.

“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do, by this my proclamation (a) order a new election for the constituency of Nkulumane, (b) fix Friday the 6th of November 2015 and the Magistrate’s Court, Tredgold, Leopold Takawira Avenue, Bulawayo, as the date on which and the place at which a nomination court shall sit in terms of Section 46 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) to receive nominations of candidates for election for the constituency of Nkulumane,” said President Mugabe.

“And (c) fix Saturday the 19th day of December 2015 as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of Section 46 (17) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).”

Mr Mahlangu was elected Nkulumane legislator in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections.

He was the deputy organising secretary of the MDC-T and served as Deputy Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment during the inclusive Government.

Mr Mahlangu was once the MDC-T national youth chairperson.

His funeral in Bulawayo was characterised by bickering between family members, which sucked in MDC-T officials, including party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai was criticised by some of his party’s officials for failing to attend Mr Mahlangu’s burial, despite hving travelled from Harare to Bulawayo for that purpose.

Violence erupted among his party supporters when he returned to Bulawayo a few weeks later to pay his condolences to Mr Mahlangu’s relatives.

Mr Tsvangirai instructed the provincial structures in Bulawayo to compile a list of party members involved in the violence and vowed to sack them.

The list, according to party sources, included Bulawayo Central legislator Dorcas Sibanda, her Bulawayo East counterpart Thabitha Khumalo, Senator Matson Hlalo, Tsepiso Helen Mpofu and councillors Ernest Rafemoyo, Gideon Mangena and Reuben Matenga.

Zanu-PF is expected to win the by-election following a decision by the MDC-T to boycott by-elections on flimsy claims that the playing field is not even, when analysts contend that the actual reason is fear of being defeated considering that the party is in a state of disarray.

Zanu-PF has won more than 20 by-elections since the July 31 harmonised polls in which the party had a resounding victory, securing the presidency and a two thirds majority in Parliament.