Five eye Chikanga- Dangamvura seat

FIVE candidates successfully filed their papers to contest in the Chikanga-Dangamvura parliamentary by-election.

They filed their papers at the Nomination Court which sat at Mutare Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was presided over by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s Manicaland Provincial Elections Officer, Mr Thompson Chiwereweshe.

The Chikanga-Dangamvura constituency fell vacant following the recall of MDC Alliance legislator, Mr Prosper Mutseyami, from the August House by MDC-T.

The five candidates that will battle it out for the seat are Cde Isau Mupfumi of Zanu

PF, Mr Hosiah Chipanga of Patriotic Zimbabwe Party, Mr Taurayi Mandipurwa of MDC Alliance, Mr Mutseyami of Citizens Coalition for Change and Mr Anesu Zaranyika of The Truth Zimbabwe Party.

Mr Chiwereweshe confirmed the nomination of the five candidates.

Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairman, Cde Mike Madiro, expressed confidence that the party would win the seat.

“We are pleased that our candidate who came through a democratic process has legally been accepted to contest in the forthcoming by-election. We are very confident that we will win the seat.

“The seat is under Mutare City Council which is under the control of the opposition parties. Residents have been complaining about poor service delivery and we are very confident that they will vote for the revolutionary party during the by-election.

“This is an opportunity for Chikanga and Dangamvura residents to vote for a candidate whose party has a vision, a revolutionary party which has proved that it represents the masses. Zanu PF represented by our able candidate, Cde Mupfumi, will definitely change the face of Mutare,” said Cde Madiro.

He said the New Dispensation under the steward leadership of President Mnangagwa has proved to everyone that the Vision 2030 journey has started in earnest.

Meanwhile, the High Court on Wednesday ordered the holding of by-elections in six constituencies won by candidates under the MDC Alliance umbrella in 2018.

One of the seats is Mutasa South which was won by Mr Regai Tsunga who was seconded by the PDP as the MDC Alliance candidate during the 2018 harmonised elections.

High Court judge, Justice Never Katiyo granted Mr Benjamin Rukanda, identified as the secretary general of the PDP party, a provisional order to reopen the nomination court for the six disputed constituencies, setting aside the Tuesday order cancelling the electoral process for the said constituencies.

Cde Misheck Mugadza of Zanu PF will square up against Mr Tsunga for the seat