Over 30 candidates eye nine Parly seats

MORE than 30 candidates will contest for nine National Assembly seats that fell vacant in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Harare and Matabeleland South provinces after the CCC recalled them.

CCC interim secretary general, Mr Sengenzo Tshabangu, threw the opposition party into chaos when he recently recalled 15 legislators, nine National Assembly seat holders with others elected through a quota system, claiming they had ceased being their members.

The party also recalled several councillors, prompting President Mnangagwa to proclaim November 7 as the Nomination Court date and December 9 for by-elections.

Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) presided over the Nomination Court proceedings in areas where vacant seats were announced with candidates jostling to file their papers.

The Nomination Court sat at 10AM and closed at 4PM across the country.

In Bulawayo, presiding

ZEC officer Mrs Mavis Mudiwakure said 23 candidates had filed their papers and only 18 prevailed as four of them failed to raise the required US$1 000 to contest while another candidate was disqualified as their papers were not in order.

The proceedings were held at the Bulawayo Magistrate Courts housed at Tredgold Building. The recalled legislators in Bulawayo include Mr Pashor Sibanda (Cowdray Park), Ms Nicola Watson (Bulawayo South), Mr Ereck Gono (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Obert Manduna (Nketa) and Desmond Makaza (Mpopoma-Mzilikazi).

In Matabeleland South, nomination officer Mr Rabson Nyoni said five candidates successfully filed their papers to contest for the Beitbridge West seat after Mr Morgan Dube was recalled.

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