Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general, did not field candidates in five wards for the 03 February 2023 by-elections.
This means ZANU PF has taken the wards, which were won by CCC in the August 2023 general elections, without a single ballot being cast.
Tshabangu recently obtained a High Court order barring the recalled candidates, who had been sponsored by CCC leader Nelson Chamisa and his allies, from running in the by-elections.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Tuesday, 23 January, released the names of the CCC candidates whose nominations for the upcoming by-elections were nullified by the High Court. ZEC said:
The public is hereby informed that following a High Court Order issued on the 19th of January 2024 under Case No. HCH197/24, the nomination of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party candidates specified in Schedule 1 below who had been nominated for election in by-elections scheduled for the 3rd of February 2024 has been set aside.
The CCC candidates whose nomination for the 3 February 2023 by-elections were set aside are:
- Musingashari Musingashari – Chiredzi Town Council Ward 6
- Roger Chikonye – Chiredzi Town Council Ward 7
- Samuel Gwenzi – Harare Municipality Ward 5
- Ian Muteto Makone – Harare Municipality Ward 18
- Innocent Kuziva Haparari – Manyame RDC Ward 7.
ZEC added:
Consequently, the public is hereby notified, in terms of section 125 (4) (a) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that since only one candidate has been duly nominated for each of the specified vacant wards, the persons specified in Schedule 2 below have been duly elected as members of the local authorities with effect from the 3rd of February 2024.
The ZANU PF local authority candidates who have won their seats unopposed are:
- Costen Mombe – Chiredzi Town Council Ward 6
- Brighton Nyashadzashe Mahiya – Chiredzi Town Council Ward 7
- Abdurrahman Sapa – Harare Municipality Ward 5
- Rufaro Daniel Matsika – Harare Municipality Ward 18
- Simbarashe Ngarande – Manyame RDC Ward 7.
More: Pindula News