The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has claimed victory in two by-elections conducted on Saturday in Chipinge and Kariba.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Saturday conducted by-elections in Ward 16 under Chipinge Rural District Council (RDC) and in Kariba’s Ward 5.
ZEC has not yet officially announced the results for the two by-elections.
Posting on their Twitter page, CCC said their candidate in Chipinge Ward 16 garnered 1 291 votes, while the ZANU PF candidate won 1 205 votes.
CCC said their candidate in Kariba Ward 5 won 303 votes, while the ZANU PF candidate amassed 175 votes.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere expressed gratitude to voters, adding that the wins signify what is to come in the 2023 elections. She tweeted:
Thank you, citizens, for yet another landslide victory for the yellow movement. Despite intimidation, vote buying and attempts to rig, you chose change in Kariba and Chipinge.
We won both by-elections emphatically. Thank you polling agents for defending the vote.
The Citizens’ by-election victories are a sign of what’s to come in 2023. We are sharpening our tools to ensure we win all of Zimbabwe for change.
Our Mugwazo campaign is bearing fruit in rural areas where we are winning despite attempts to rig! We are going to win BIG in 2023!
Meanwhile, ZANU PF activists using the Twitter ZANU PF Patriots said the results of the Saturday by-elections show that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will beat CCC leader Nelson Chamisa in 2023. The said:
Saturday by-elections show Chamisa will not win in 2023.
CCC’s Kariba and Chipinge winning margins shows that Chamisa will not win the 2023 elections.
Chamisa has to overturn Cde ED’s 2018 win, rather on Saturday ZANU PF cut CCC winning margins hence widening Cde ED’s 2018 gap.