ZANU PF and MDC-T are set to battle again in three local authority run-off by-elections in September after candidates from both parties received an equal number of votes in the July 31 polls.
Nqobile Bhebhe
The by-elections have been set for September 11 in Kusile Rural District Council Ward 5, Ward 4 Kadoma municipality and Mutasa Rural District Council Ward 30.
The announcement of the by-election dates signals what may be the start of what could be intense campaigns, as both parties would be keen on increasing their seats in the councils.
“It is hereby notified that in terms of Section 129 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) that an equality of votes was declared in respect of local authority elections for Kadoma Municipality Ward 4 and Mutasa Rural District Council Ward 30,” Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chief elections officer Lovemore Sekeramayi said in a statement.
“Accordingly, run-off by-elections will be held in respect of each of the local authorities stated above on September 11 to determine the elected candidate.”
In the July 31 elections Ubenene Ncube of MDC-T and Soneni Tshuma of Zanu PF each polled 416 votes in Kusile, while in Mutasa, Elias Kembo (MDC-T) and William Ketero of Zanu PF got 692 votes each.
In Kadoma, Fastmore Mandipota (MDC-T) and Godfrey Mavura of Zanu PF were tied on 545 votes.
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In Kusile, Zanu PF presently has 19 seats compared with the MDC-T’s eight. Zanu PF also won the two Lupane parliamentary seats, which fall under Kusile.
