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Chronicle Reporters
Zanu-PF is clearly heading towards a two-thirds majority with results released yesterday indicating that the revolutionary party has so far won 137 seats in the National Assembly while MDC-T got 48 seats and one was won by an independent. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) will today announce the final batch of results and there are 24 constituencies left. Six provinces have since been completed. The remaining four will be concluded today.
Zanu-PF managed a clean sweep in Matabeleland South and Masvingo where the party won all the seats in the two provinces.
The revolutionary party also claimed several seats in Manicaland, most of which were previously under MDC-T. Notable candidates who won on a Zanu-PF ticket include Politburo Member, Cde Kembo Mohadi who shrugged off the challenge from the main contender in the National Assembly seat for Beitbridge East, MDC-T candidate, Mr Morgan Ncube.
Also in Matabeleland South, Cde Abednigo Ncube bounced back when he reclaimed the Gwanda South seat. He lost in the party’s primary elections in 2008.
In Manicaland, notable winners were Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa and renowned journalist Cde Supa Mandiwanzira and the charismatic war veteran Cde Joseph Chinotimba who won Buhera South seat.
In Midlands, Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa romped to victory in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe.
Dr Ignatius Chombo won in Zvimba North and prominent lawyer, Cde Jonathan Samkange won in Mudzi.
In Matabeleland North, Zanu-PF Secretary for Economic Affairs, Dr Obert Mpofu polled 16 025 votes to retain his Umguza seat while MDC-T’s Abednico Bhebhe won the Nkayi South constituency.
Zanu-PF Politburo Member, Professor Jonathan Moyo is among the casualties after losing his Tsholotsho North seat to MDC-T’s Mrs Roselene Nkomo.
MDC-T bigwigs among them the party’s national chairman and former Speaker of Parliament, Mr Lovemore Moyo, the party’s spokesperson, Mr Douglas Mwonzora and women’s assembly chairperson, Mrs Theresa Makone were left in the cold after losing the seats to Zanu-PF.
Former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Services, Mrs Tracy Mutinhiri who defected from Zanu-PF to MDC-T also lost the elections.
Former ZBC disc jockey, Mr James Maridadi, is among the newly elected members of the National Assembly after winning the Mabvuku-Tafara seat.
Although MDC-T maintained its stronghold in Harare and Bulawayo, Zanu-PF candidates won in Mbare and Mount Pleasant in Harare. The party also won in Norton, Chitungwiza North, Chipinge Central, Karoi, Makoni Central, Nyanga South, Mutasa South, Kwekwe Central and Masvingo Urban.
Zanu-PF also managed to consolidate its support in rural areas, wresting back a significant number of seats it lost to MDC-T in 2008.
Observers from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) hailed Zimbabwe’s elections as “free and peaceful”.
In a statement yesterday, Sadc dismissed MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s claims that the elections were manipulated.
“We would like to congratulate the people of Zimbabwe for holding a free and peaceful election,” the observer mission said. A total of 3.9 million voters cast their ballots in the harmonised elections.
Online Reporter