The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) vice-president, Tendai Laxton Biti has won the Harare East by-election to retain the seat.
Biti was recalled from Parliament in 2021 by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the party he formed in 2013. Below are the results from the Harare East constituency by-election:
i). Laxton Tendai Biti CCC: 7534
ii) Mavis Gumbo ZANU PF: 3045
iii). MDC Alliance: 114
iv). UZA: 100
v). Precious Musarurwa LEAD: 25
Winner: CCC Laxton Tendai Biti
Commenting on Biti’s recall, the CCC party and some political analysts said he had been dismissed for being vocal against corruption.
Biti was the chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and had a series of hearings to make some public entities accountable for resources allocated to them.
Of much vitality among the hearings was that of Command Agriculture in which he was supposed to interrogate business mogul, Kuda Tagwirei who was contracted to implement the Command Agriculture.
Biti claimed that Sakunda had squandered or failed to account for US$3 billion under the scheme. The oil company denies the allegations.
The former Finance Minister (2009-2013) was subsequently recalled before he could question Tagwirei amid reports that ZANU PF legislators were frustrating the efforts.
Meanwhile, Biti, like everyone elected into office on 26 March 2022, will only serve for a year as the country will go to the polls again in 2023.