Chronicle Editor
Lingani Nyika in Masvingo
VICE President Kembo Mohadi who is also Zanu PF Second Secretary will this weekend launch the party’s campaign for the Gutu West National Assembly by-election set for November 11 in Masvingo.
The ruling party is determined to win the seat and consolidate its dominance in the province.
The Gutu West election could not be held on August 23 together with the rest of the general elections, following the death of an independent candidate Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi in a road traffic accident in June after nominations had closed.
This is a standard procedure so that those who nominated the dead candidate can find an alternative, in effect converting the election into a by-election for that constituency.
Zanu PF’s Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde John Paradza, who was the sitting legislator for the constituency and won the ruling party primary election uncontested ahead of the August 23 polls, is the revolutionary party’s candidate.
He will battle it out with Mr Ephraim Murudu of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC).
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa yesterday confirmed the development, saying the ruling party is already gearing up for the by-election, which is confident of retaining.
“On Saturday Vice President Kembo Mohadi will be here in Masvingo to launch the by-election campaign for our candidate for the Gutu West National Assembly seat Cde John Paradza, and we are certain that our candidate will win,” he said.
“Gutu District as a whole is a Zanu PF stronghold and the opposition has repeatedly failed to make a presence in the district and the just-ended harmonised elections confirm that because we swept all the other seats in the district.”
Cde Mavhenyengwa said the fact that President Mnangagwa amassed over 15 000 votes in the constituency shows the high support that Zanu PF has.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter