Zimpapers Logo

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE nomination court sat in Bulawayo yesterday and accepted papers from 34 candidates to battle it out in five constituencies in by-elections set for June 10. An average of six candidates were nominated in each of the five constituencies that fell vacant after 21 MDC-T rebel MPs were recalled from Parliament. The 21 dismissed MPs had joined a splinter party, MDC Renewal Team, fronted by Tendai Biti.

In Makokoba constituency Retired Colonel Tshinga-Dube of Zanu-PF will battle it out with three independent candidates, Joan Dhlodhlo, Sibangilizwe Msipa and Sehlelo Nkomo as well as Jonathan Ndlovu of Zapu and Wilson Harry Peter of Mavambo Kusile Dawn (MKD).

Cde Ntandoyenkosi Mlilo will contest the Luveve constituency seat under a Zanu-PF ticket against three independent candidates Thembelihle Sibanda, Mkululi Nyathi and Willias Dube as well as Fanuel Tshuma of Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) and Morgan Ntuli of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).

The Lobengula constituency will pit Cde Maideyi Mpala of Zanu-PF against Leonard Mhike of TZ, Casper Sibanda of Zapu, Jane Mbewe of the Freedom Front Party (FFP) and Njabuliso Mguni, an independent candidate.

In Mpopoma-Pelandaba, Cde Joseph Tshuma of Zanu-PF will contest against Strike Mkandla of Zapu, Andrea Banda of TZ, Sokhaya Mabena of the NCA and three independent candidates, Joshua Mlambo, Tsibo Mkwena and Vusumusi Mabhikwa.

In the Pumula constituency, Cde Godfrey Malaba of Zanu-PF will battle it out with Jackson Lunga of the NCA, Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu of TZ and four independent candidates Zakhele Mpofu, Misheck Ncube, Albert Mhlanga and Morrison Maluso.

Mhlanga, who was MP in the constituency until his recall, appears to have defied his MDC Renewal party’s directive to boycott the ballot.

Zanu-PF’s Cde Malaba said: “I’m confident that I will win this election because people now know that Zanu-PF is the best party in the country. They have tried the rest and now it is time to try the best.”

Cde Tshuma said the forthcoming by-elections were a “penalty kick” for him.

“This is a penalty kick and there’s no two ways about it. It’s a corrective measure by God after he realised that his people were suffering,” he said.

“The by-elections are coming as a relief to the people of Pelandaba-Mpopoma and I promise them that I will work with the people, through people.”

Mkwena, who is contesting in the same constituency, said his mission was to work hand-in-hand with the people and bring development.

“There are a number of challenges that people are facing in the constituency. These include poor roads and lack of jobs. I am prepared to work with the people and improve their standards of living,” he said.

Banda of TZ said he was born and bred in Mpopoma and was keen to restore the constituency to its glory days.

“I want to bring back the Mpopoma-Pelandaba that I know. It does not take a million people to transform the country. I believe that my party is capable of transforming the lives of the people here,” he said.

The Bulawayo provincial elections officer, Innocent Ncube, said the nomination court would be open from 8AM to 5PM today for registered voters who wish to inspect the nomination papers.

In Mbizo, Kwekwe, three candidates – Cde Vongaishe Mupereri of Zanu-PF, Innocent Madziva of Transform Zimbabwe and Onismo Tafirei Zhavairo, an independent candidate – successfully filed their papers.

Nomination courts were also sitting in Harare and Manicaland where seven by-elections are due.