Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has set Saturday1 August 2026, as the date for by-elections to fill three vacant councillor seats in the Victoria Falls Municipality, alongside other local authority vacancies across the country.
The by-elections will be held to fill vacancies in Wards 9, 10, and 11 of the Victoria Falls Municipality, following the recall of the incumbent councillors.
These elections will be conducted concurrently with polls for Ward 21 of Mazowe Rural District Council, Ward 3 of Mutare Municipality, and Ward 12 of Mudzi RDC, whose seats became vacant due to the death of councillors.
In a public notice, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Simbarashe Tongayi confirmed that nomination courts will sit on Wednesday 1 July 2026, from 10am to 4pm to receive candidate nominations.
The nomination court for Victoria Falls will sit at the offices of the Town Clerk on Livingstone Way .
The Victoria Falls seats became vacant after the recall of councillors Mthunzi Mpofu (Ward 9), Nkanyiso Sibindi (Ward 10), and Daniel Moyo (Ward 11) by their party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) .
The recalls, effective May 2026, followed a letter from the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, citing Section 278(1) of the Constitution .
The official notification to the town clerk stated: “In terms of Section 278(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, as read with Section (i) k, the above-mentioned wards are now vacant” .
The announcements were met with chaos during a full council meeting.
Ward 10 Councillor Sibindi rejected the recall, alleging the letter was fraudulent. The situation escalated when Sibindi reportedly smashed a council laptop and threatened officials, leading to his arrest .
He has since appeared in court facing malicious damage to property charges and was granted US$300 bail .
