Online Reporter
Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent
ZANU PF won the two council by-elections held on Saturday in Masvingo City’s Ward 7 and Nkayi Rural District Council’s Ward 16.
The by-elections were necessitated by the deaths of the incumbent councillors.
In Masvingo Municipality’s Ward 7, ZANU PF candidate Cde Simbarashe Shonhiwa triumphed with 703 votes defeating a field of independent and opposition candidates, including Struggle Nyahunda (192 votes), Prosper Tiringindi Taruvinga (119 votes), Tsungayi Mandati (58 votes) and MDC-T’s Mataruse Prosper (11 votes).
The ward recorded a 23,4 percent voter turnout, with only four rejected ballots.
In Nkayi Rural District Council’s Ward 16, ZANU PF’s Cde Sindisiwe Tshabalala secured the win with 278 votes after defeating independent candidate Jabulani Ndlovu (128 votes), MDC’s Ronald Tshabalala (69 votes) and Mandlenkosi Tshuma of MRP (10 votes).
There were 7 rejected ballot papers and the percentage poll was 34,2 percent.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Deputy Chairperson Ambassador Rodney Kiwa yesterday confirmed the results, praising the peaceful and “clinical” nature of the electoral process.
“The process was very smooth,” Ambassador Kiwa said.
“We did everything from the time we were given notices, following the death of the late candidates, to submission of notices to the nomination court, and the sitting of the nomination court, and publication of our intention to hold by-elections, training of election officers, printing of ballot papers – everything was just clinical.”
However, Ambassador Kiwa expressed disappointment with the low voter turnout.
“Our only disappointment is that voter turnout was not what we expected, considering we had invested a lot of effort and time in voter awareness.
“Perhaps it’s because by-elections don’t seem to attract the same level of enthusiasm as harmonised elections. Still, any turnout less than 50 percent is not good enough, so it’s an area we need to work on.”
A total of 6 450 ballot papers were printed for the two by-elections, which have a voter population of 6 076.
