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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]

THE ruling party, Zanu-PF, is ready to win resoundingly in all the six contested National Assembly seats and 28 local authority wards in next month’s by-elections, secretary-general Dr Obert Mpofu has said.

The country will hold a second batch of by-elections on February 3 after the seats were declared vacant following recalls that rocked the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party.

Initially, 15 legislators were recalled by the disputed CCC interim party secretary-general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu leading to the first round of by-elections on December 9, 2023 where Zanu-PF wrestled away six out of nine contested constituencies.

“We are determined to secure all the National Assembly seats that will be contested for in the upcoming by-elections, we have prepared and our systems are ready to go to the ground and mobilise people in our usual pro-people manner,” said Dr Mpofu in an interview yesterday.

The recalled legislators for next month’s contested seats include; Mr Gift Ostallos Siziba (Pelandaba-Tshabalala in Bulawayo), Mr Amos Chibaya (Mkoba North in Gweru), Mr Stephen Chatiza (Goromonzi West), Mr Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto (Seke), Mr Admore Chivero (Chegutu West) and Mr Oliver Mutasa (Zvimba East).

After the December by-elections, Zanu-PF now has 184 seats out of the 280 members in the National Assembly, just three shy of a two-thirds majority.

Dr Mpofu said the machinery to ensure a clean sweep was always in place and ready to spread the ground to prop up party candidates.

Cde Joe Tshuma is the ruling party’s candidate for Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency in Bulawayo, while Cde Washington Zhanda would stand in Goromonzi West, Cde Munyaradzi Tobias Kashambe in Seke, Cde Wellington Shakemore Timburwa in Chegutu West, Cde Kudakwashe Mananzva Zvimba East and Cde Edgar Ncube for Mkoba North.

Dr Mpofu said Zanu-PF has, as always, strategies that will be applied as a build-up to the February by-elections with units ready to get to the ground.

“We have strategies and this is what we always do all the time, we have units that get delegated to each constituency or ward but all sending the same message, that we are determined to gain all those seats.

“We are telling our people that Zanu-PF cares for its citizens and it’s well known by every homestead in this country. All the other parties are just taking their chances, they have nothing to offer to our people, the real party that stands for the people is the tried and trusted revolutionary giant called Zanu-PF,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said Zanu-PF was ready to stand against any form of opposition in whatever shape or formation as it has defeated the changing colours of opposition formation before.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has set aside US$6 million or local currency equivalent for the upcoming by-elections with the elections body telling our sister publication, Sunday Mail recently that preparations for elections are well on course.

Chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana has said the training of voter education officers will kick off today and run up to Friday while the mobile voter education programme will run from January 20 to 24.

Training of electoral officers will be conducted this coming Saturday with constituency elections officers set to be trained first followed by ward elections officers and then polling officers and elections agents.