admin
Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yesterday formally confirmed the withdrawal of Cde Mavis Gumbo from contesting on a Zanu-PF ticket in Harare East Constituency next week.
The move paves way for Cde Terence Mukupe to contest as the sole ruling party candidate.
“It is hereby notified, in terms of section 49 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2 :13), that Mavis Gumbo of Zanu-PF party has withdrawn her candidature to the Harare East constituency by-election,” read a notice from Zec acting chief elections officer, Mr Utloile Silaigwana in the Government Gazette.
Cde Mukupe will square off against Marvellous Farai Kuveya (independent), Dale Dore (Transform Zimbabwe) and Misheck Zacharia Mushawatu (independent.)
There had been confusion in Harare East after Cde Mukupe’s candidature was withdrawn at the last minute by the Nomination Court which had initially accepted his papers.
This was after Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Cde Ignatius Chombo wrote to the Nomination Court indicating that Cde Gumbo was the rightful candidate for the party.
Cde Mukupe then approached the Electoral Court which ruled that there was no basis for the Nomination Court to reject his papers because they were in order.
This left both Cde Mukupe and Cde Gumbo eligible to stand on the ruling party ticket in Harare East.
Zanu-PF then directed that Cde Mukupe was its rightful candidate, resulting in the withdrawal of Cde Gumbo.
Online Reporter