Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. George Mashavave and Kiven Mutimbanyoka have been selected to represent ZANU PF in the Mt Pleasant and Harare East constituencies, respectively, in the upcoming April by-elections.
Mashavave emerged victorious against Jaison Passade, Chris Chuchu, and Beadle Musatye Gwasira, as reported by The Herald. Mutimbanyoka secured the win against Lynette Mahlaba.
During the primary elections, ZANU PF assigned its spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa, to oversee the process in Mt Pleasant, while Supa Mandiwanzira supervised the polls in Harare East.
Both officials expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the primary elections
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, March 24, the Party’s National Political Commissar Mike Bimha said Mashavave and Mutimbanyoka should proceed to prepare their nomination papers so that they are ready for the nomination court sitting on March 26. He said:
The primary elections were a demonstration of the democratic nature of ZANU PF. Now that the primary elections are behind us, we want all those competing to come together as we now campaign for ZANU PF representatives who will now battle it out with the opposition in the coming by-elections.
The two constituencies became vacant when former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators, Fadzayi Mahere (Mt Pleasant) and Allan Markham (Harare East), voluntarily stepped down.
Mahere and Markham formally resigned in accordance with Section 129 (1) (b) of the Constitution.
In the 2023 general elections, Markham received 15,642 votes, more than double the votes won by the ZANU PF candidate Mavis Gumbo (who received 7,621 votes).
It remains to be seen if Markham will contest in the upcoming by-elections and which political party he will represent.
Mahere has since announced she will not run in the by-election. She cited the unchanged conditions that prompted her initial resignation.
In her statement on Thursday, March 21, Fadzayi Mahere highlighted several issues which include the “illegal” recall of Members of Parliament by Sengezo Tshabangu, as well as Speaker Jacob Mudenda’s refusal to engage in discussions on matters of national importance and his dismissal of points of order related to sensitive issues.
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