Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has cancelled the planned by-elections in Victoria Falls’ wards 9 and 11.
This comes after Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) self-proclaimed interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu rescinded the recall of the affected councillors.
Victoria Falls’ Ward 9 and 11 councillors Mthunzi Mpofu and Daniel Moyo respectively, were among the 52 CCC councillors that Tshabangu recalled from 15 local authorities last month claiming they had ceased being party members.
The by-elections were scheduled to be done in February 2024.
In a statement, ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utloile Silaigwana said the by-elections in Victoria Falls had been cancelled. He said:
It is hereby notified that the advertised vacancies for the City of Victoria Falls wards 9 and 11 and the party list PR vacancies are no longer in existence following the recession of the recall of the incumbents by their sponsoring party.
Accordingly, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission advises that all electoral processes in relation to the said advertised by-elections have been cancelled with immediate effect.
Tshabangu has recalled scores of CCC representatives in Parliament and various councils across the country claiming that they were imposed on the people in the run-up to the August 2023 elections.
Some of the recalled MPs took Tshabangu to court and the case was dismissed by the High Court.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa and his supporters argue that Tshabangu is an imposter and is working with ZANU PF to decimate the opposition and give the ruling party a two-thirds majority in Parliament to amend the constitution.
On Thursday, the CCC Youth Task Force in Bulawayo has threatened street protests and demanded electoral reforms saying key State institutions such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the judiciary system, and ZRP have been captured by ZANU PF.
Tshabangu has however denied the allegations, saying he is targetting “criminals around the president”.
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