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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
AN election to choose a substantive Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Masvingo will be held soon after the Independence Day celebrations next week, a senior party official has said.

The initial election that was held in February pitting Cde Ezra Chadzamira and Retired Colonel Mutero Masanganise was declared inconclusive as there was no voting in some areas due to logistical challenges posed by heavy rains.

Cde Chadzamira had polled 12 393 against Col Masanganise’s 4 988 votes.

Masvingo provincial secretary for administration Cde Ailes Baloyi said the province received communication from the party’s national commissariat that there be a rerun after the Independence Day holiday.

“We are ready to hold elections for the position of a substantive chairman soon after the Independence holiday. We do not have the specific dates yet as we are waiting for the interim chairman Dr Joram Gumbo to give us the dates,” said Cde Baloyi.

He said once there is a substantive chairman the province will be ready to launch its campaign for the 2018 harmonised elections.

“We had a provincial coordinating committee meeting on Sunday and we agreed that elections for the chairman of the party will be held as per the Politburo resolution. Remember we had inconclusive elections in February where we only covered 60 percent of our political districts. Once we have a substantive chairman we will know we have a leader in the province who will lead us during campaigning for the forthcoming 2018 harmonised election,” he said.

Cde Baloyi said the party was also happy with the outcome of the Mwenezi East National Assembly by-election won by Zanu-PF candidate Cde Joosbi Omar.

He garnered 18 700 votes beating the National Constitutional Assembly’s Mr Welcome Masuku who managed 482 while Mr Turner Mhango of Free Zimbabwe Congress (FZC) garnered 386.

The seat had been vacant following the death of Cde Joshua Moyo in December last year.

Voter turnout was 41,9 percent in a constituency with 56 000 registered voters.

Cde Baloyi said despite having failed to garner the targeted votes of more than 47 000, the party had performed very well.

“The withdrawal of Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti –Chuma could have dampened the spirit of some of our members to cast their ballots, hence missing the target. We expected our members to come in their numbers despite the withdrawal of candidates. Nevertheless the victory has motivated us ahead of the 2018 general elections,” he said.

@walterbmswazie3