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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ZANU-PF Midlands Province concluded its district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections yesterday but six districts lodged appeals with the National Election Directorate against the poll results.

There are eight administrative party districts in the Midlands province namely Gweru, Kwekwe, Chirumanzu, Gokwe North, Gokwe South, Mberengwa, Shurugwi and Zvishavane.

The six that are disputing the election results are Chirumanzu, Gokwe South, Gweru, Kwekwe, Mberengwa and Zvishavane.

There were alleged reports of irregularities during the voting process in those districts.

In a statement yesterday, acting Zanu PF National Spokesperson, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, who has been leading the elections supervisory team in the Midlands province, said there were 296 polling stations across the province.

He said some voters could not vote in some few polling stations especially in Gokwe and Shurugwi districts due to heavy rains which made the roads impassable.

Cde Chinamasa said the provincial command however managed to collate votes from all the districts and have forwarded them to the National Command Centre in Harare.

He said six districts were disputing the elections and have since filed their petitions which will be forwarded to the National Command Centre.

“We have concluded our elections in the Midlands province but it is important to note that we have received petitions from six administrative districts namely Chirumanzu, Gokwe South, Gweru, Kwekwe, Mberengwa and Zvishavane. These petitions will be submitted to the National Elections Directorate,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said out of 296 polling stations in the province, 12 could not be reached due to bad weather and flooded rivers.

“We however managed to collate the results in other polling stations and made our recommendations and the results with be announced at the National Command Centre,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said the provincial team was not offended by those who were lodging appeals as they had the right to do so.

“We are a democratic revolutionary party and we will not be offended if an appeal is lodged and a decision is made as to reverse what we would have decided at the provincial directorate,” he said.

There has been a lot of accusations and counter accusations in the terms of how the elections were run in the province with some districts calling for re-runs arguing the process was heavily affected by rains resulting in many people failing to go out to exercise their right to vote.