Zanu-PF announces additional re-run of elections

Innocent Ruwende, Harare Bureau
ZANU-PF’s National Elections Commission (NEC) yesterday ordered an additional re-run of elections in Kambuzuma Constituency.

However, there will not be a re-run in Gutu East (Masvingo province) as previously announced after the NEC declared Cde Beritta Chikwama the winner.

After an extraordinary Politburo meeting on Saturday, the ruling party announced that there would be re-runs in 10 National Assembly constituencies where legitimate concerns were raised about the polling process.

In a statement yesterday, NEC chairperson Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired) said the window for receiving petitions closed yesterday at 5pm.

“Reference is made to our press statement on the Zanu-PF election re-runs dated May 6, 2018. The National Elections Commission has made additional re-runs in the following constituencies: in Harare, Kambuzuma.

“There will be no re-run in Gutu East. The Commission resolved that Beritta Chikwama was the winner. The window for receiving petitions closed on May 7, 2018 at 5pm.

“The Commission is currently seized with the task of assessing each petition with the view to make appropriate decisions,” reads the statement.

Zanu-PF was supposed to officially announce its candidates last Friday at the party’s 2018 election manifesto and campaign launch in Harare, but this was deferred to give the Politburo an opportunity to make a determination on grievances raised by losing  aspirants.

The Politburo endorsed the candidature of just below 2 000 cadres who won intra-party primaries to represent the ruling party in the 2018 harmonised elections.

The nod was given to around 200 National Assembly aspirants, 60 Senate candidates, 60 Women’s quota representatives, 48 provincial council hopefuls, and about 1 900 prospective local authority councillors.

A record number of more than 8 000 candidates took part in the internal polls.

Due to logistical challenges which affected the distribution of voting material to remote constituencies, the party managed to announce results from 190 out of the 210 constituencies.

Voters shut out a number of party bigwigs in the two-day elections.

Among some of the casualties were Cde Christopher Mushohwe, who failed to make it in Mutare West, as he was defeated by Cde Jennifani Muswere, while in Mutare South Cdes Nyasha Chikwinya, Freddy Kanzama and Godfrey Chikosi were all thumped by Cde Jeffrey Ngome.