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ZANU-PF was by late last night set to make history by gaining political control of Bulawayo for the first time in 15 years through a much-anticipated victory in the Nkulumane constituency by-election in which Cde Killian Sibanda represented the party.
Cde Sibanda was contesting against little-known Mr Ngwalo Nyathi of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe and Ms Sibusisiwe Mpofu of the Reformed Democrats of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Deputy Chief elections officer (operations) Mr Utloile Silaigwana was by 11pm yet to announce the results at the constituency command and collation centre housed at Nkulumane housing office. ZEC had set 30 polling stations for the Nkulumane by-election and voting ended at 7pm at all polling stations.
Zanu-PF bagged five seats in Bulawayo early this year following the expulsion of 21 rebel MDC-T legislators by their president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, leading to by-elections in various parts of the country. The five constituencies that Zanu-PF won in the June by-elections are Mpopoma-Pelandaba, Luveve, Pumula, Lobengula and Makokoba.
The Nkulumane seat fell vacant after the death of MDC-T legislator Thamsanqa Mahlangu in October. The elections for the constituency took off on a peaceful note with all polling centres not recording any adverse incidents.
The Zanu-PF candidate, Cde Sibanda, cast his vote by mid-morning at Mncumbatha Secondary School. Cde Sibanda said the campaign and election were peaceful with no incidents of violence being recorded.
“We worked well even with the opposition during the campaign and we never fought, we were always on good grounds and this makes elections successful if you work in peace.”
“Some people have travelled for the holidays and some are busy in their fields so it also affects turn out but the numbers are fairly good. People in rural areas really turn out in large numbers compared to the cities, again Saturday is a commercial day in the city so some people will be tied up with work commitments and can miss the election,” said Cde Sibanda, commenting on the turn out.
Cde Sibanda said he was confident of victory and Zanu PF was the people’s choice.
Bongani Ndlovu