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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) Midlands Province is ready to hold the Chiwundura Parliamentary by-election today after completing preparations which saw the electoral body registering an unprecedented 43 688 voters, with the ruling party Zanu-PF poised for a landslide victory.

Midlands Provincial Elections Officer, Mrs Dorcas Mpofu, said all was set for the parliamentary by-election which has four candidates vying for a slot in the August House.

The four candidates are Cde Brown Ndlovu of Zanu- PF, Messrs Takura Guzete of the National Constitution Assembly (NCA), Brighton Mudzviti of Free Zimbabwe Congress and Webster Zulu of Progressive Democrats.

Mrs Mpofu said Zec had deployed 340 polling officers, 58 presiding officers, 136 police officers and 12 ward election officers to 68 polling stations in Chiwundura constituency.

“We have done all our preparations for the Chiwundura Parliamentary by-election and we are now ready. All the material required for the election has been distributed to all our polling stations and we have not encountered any logistical challenges,” she said.

“We have 43 688 registered voters in Chiwundura and we have deployed 340 polling officers, 58 presiding officers, 136 police officers and 12 ward election officers to 68 polling stations. In terms of security we have adequate police details deployed to different polling stations.”

Mrs Mpofu said the voting process was likely to proceed smoothly after Zec did not receive any complaints.

“We did not receive any complaints from any of the participating candidates and it has been peaceful and we are very confident that the election will also be held under a peaceful environment,” she said.

Zanu-PF Midlands province chairperson Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube said the party was certain of victory considering that it had 29 000 registered party members ready to vote.

“We have 29 000 registered members and we are assured of victory. We are very much ready for the by-election and we call upon our members to come out in full force,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declared the seat vacant following the death of Chiwundura MP Cde Kizito Chivamba in April.

Cde Chivamba, a former Zanu-PF Midlands deputy chairman, was declared a liberation war hero and buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes’ Acre in Gweru. — @pchitumba1