Zanu-PF poised for Chiwundura landslide

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is ready for the Chiwundura parliamentary by-election which gets underway today with over 43 000 voters itching to cast the ballot in a poll in which Zanu-PF is largely expected to romp to victory.

The ruling party’s candidate, Cde Brown Ndlovu, is battling it out with Mr Takura Guzete of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Free Zimbabwe Congress’ Mr Brighton Mudzviti and Mr Webster Zulu of Progressive Democrats.

The MDC-T resolved to boycott the by-election.

ZEC Midlands provincial elections officer Mrs Dorcas Mpofu said all was set for the by-election.

“We have done all our preparations for the Chiwundura parliamentary by-election and we are now ready. All the material required for the elections has been distributed to all our polling stations and we have not encountered any logistical challenges.

We have 43 688 registered voters in Chiwundura and we have deployed 340 polling officers, 58 presiding officers, 136 police officers and 12 ward election officers to 68 polling stations. In terms of security we have adequate police details deployed to different polling stations,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said ZEC expected a flawless poll after it did not receive any complaints from participants.

“We did not receive any complaints from any of the participating candidates and it has been peaceful and we are very confident that the election will also be held under a peaceful environment,” she said.

ZEC declared the Chiwundura parliamentary seat vacant following the death of Chiwundura MP Cde Kizito Chivamba in April.

Cde Chivamba, a former Zanu-PF Midlands deputy chairman, was declared a liberation war hero.

He was buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes’ Acre in Gweru.