adminZANU-PF has clinched the Makoni Rural District Council Ward 27 Makoni by-election held over the weekend. Zanu-PF candidate, Cde Givers Shumbaimwe, polled 816 votes against the newly-formed Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ)’s Ms Constance Nemuseso who polled 200 votes.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) district elections officer, Mr Joel Mutambiranwa, declared Cde Shumbaimwe the winner.
The Ward 27 post fell vacant after the incumbent, Cde Abel Mutizwa, was knocked down by a car at Nyazura and died on the spot.
Cde Shumbaimwe is expected to be sworn next week.
Zanu-PF coordinator for Makoni, Cde Joseph Mujati, said the victory was important for the party.
“We are happy that Zanu-PF retained the seat, a feat that shows the re-energising of the party in Makoni District. We have managed to maintain our presence in the orphaned Makoni RDC Ward 27 and eventually eclipsed other political players in this race to elect a new council representative.
“The electoral process went well and without incident, and the election itself was a token competition offered by (Mr) Pishai (Muchauraya) and his friends,” said Cde Mujati.
Mr Muchauraya is the former MP for Makoni South and RDZ spokesperson.
RDZ is led by former Energy Minister, Mr Elton Mangoma.
The party was born out of irreconcilable differences within the MDC Renewal, then led by Mangoma and Tendai Biti, who recently rebranded his party to People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“The RDZ fielded a candidate, Constance Nemuseso, for by-election in Ward 27 of Makoni South after residents and other stakeholders demanded our representation.
“We are happy that we got more than we anticipated and that figure (200 votes) coming within 157 days of our formation. Our projection is that if we continue with this pace we are forming the next government,” said Mr Pishai Muchauraya.
Mr Muchauraya slammed MDC-T’s poll strategy, saying RDZ cannot be bound by other parties’ resolutions.
Online Reporter