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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
Cde Ezra Chadzamira has retained the Masvingo provincial Zanu-PF chairmanship after he beat his rival Retired Colonel Mutero Masanganise with 29 543 votes against a paltry 1 080 votes in a one sided election re-run held on Saturday.

The first polls held in February were inconclusive after only 64 percent of the voting centres were accessed due to the incessant rains.

During the abandoned poll Cde Chadzamira was leading with 12 393 while Rtd Col Masanganise had 4 888.

Cde Chadzamira who was suspended as chairman early last year but the suspension was lifted by the Politburo last December, won convincingly in all 408 polling stations.

The elections presided over by Matabeleland North Minister of State for provincial affairs Cde Cain Mathema went ahead despite Rtd Col Masanganise writing a letter of withdrawal to the national secretary for administration Dr Ignatious Chombo a few days before the polls.

Announcing the results at a Press conference at the command centre at Chevron Hotel yesterday morning, Cde Mathema declared Cde Chadzamira the substantive chairman for Zanu PF Masvingo province.

Cde Mathema was flanked by Zanu-PF chief whip Cde Lovemore Matuke, Masvingo Minister of State for provincial affairs Shuvai Mahofa, Masvingo Central national assembly member Cde Edmund Mhere.

“Cde Chadzamira has polled 29 543 votes against Rtd Col Masanganise’s 1 080. With the powers vested in me by the Zanu-PF Politburo I do hereby declare Cde Chadzamira the new substantive provincial chairman for Masvingo.

“I would like to thank the Zanu-PF members for conducting themselves well and voting peacefully. This should continue after this period. We congratulate the winner who should bear in mind that it is Zanu-PF that has won,” said Cde Mathema.

Cde Chadzamira thanked the members for having faith in him and declared his commitment to help the province win convincingly in the general elections scheduled for 2018.

“I am happy for winning the chairman position. I would like to thank Zanu PF members for having faith in me. I’m committed to work tirelessly so that the party wins general elections scheduled for 2018,” said Cde Chadzamira.

Contacted for comment Rtd Col Masanganise, who did not turn up for elections, professed ignorance about the elections saying, “I am not aware of any elections that I participated in. What results are you referring to?”

Politburo member and Gutu central national assembly member Cde Matuke said the elections have demonstrated that there is democracy in Zanu-PF.

“This is a demonstration of democracy in our party.

“We are happy that there is now a substantive chairman for the province who will lead as we prepare for the 2018 elections,” said Cde Matuke.

@walterbmswazie3