Beverly Bizeki

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has managed to snatch two wards from Zanu PF in Masvingo City leaving the ruling party with only one ward from the three it got in 2018.

Zanu PF lost ward 8, whose main area is now in ward 9 after delimitation and was represented by Against Chiteme and ward 6 which was previously occupied by Wellington Mahwende, who then went on to contest for a parliamentary seat.

Ward 6 was then won by CCC’s Wilstaff Sitemere who defeated Trust Muzvozviona. Sitemere got 2 563 votes while Muzvozviona got 1 121 votes and the 3^rd candidate ZZPP candidate got 42 votes only.

Chiteme lost to Benard Muchokwa who had 2 018 votes while against his 915 votes.

Zanu PF will have ward 10’s Sengerai Manyanga as the sole party representative at Town House.

Manyanga told TellZim News that though he was happy to have retained his seat, he was worried on how he will push the party’s agenda alone in council.

“I am happy because in ward 10, Zanu PF won resoundingly which shows that people still have trust in me and want to development in their ward.

“However, it doesn’t sit well with me to be the only Zanu PF councilor. I believe it is God’s will and I will try to cover all wards on behalf of my party,” said Manyanga.

Manyanga will be going for a second term as ward 10 councilor.

Perpetua Murungweni

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) concluded that curtailed rights and lack of level playing field led to an environment that was not conducive to voters making a free and informed choice in Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonized Elections.

In in a press statement, EU EOM, Chief Observer Fabio Massimo Castaldo said the Zimbabwean election was largely calm but disorderly.

“While Election Day was assessed by the EU EOM as largely calm, the election process overally was hampered by significant issues regarding the independence and transparency of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). The ZEC missed opportunities to increase public trust in the integrity of voting and results management.

“The failure of ZEC to provide critical electoral material such as paper ballots resulted in many polling stations opening with severe delays, leading to an increasingly tense atmosphere in some locations,” said Castaldo.

“The EU EOM also noted the central role of the judiciary in the process, given the unprecedented high number of pre-election court challenges, pertaining to both right to contest and validity of all key legal texts, some of which remain unresolved”, said Castaldo.

He also noted that there was lack of level playing field, particularly regarding the freedom of assembly.

“The campaign presented voters with a range of viewpoints, but there was a lack of level playing field, particularly regarding the freedom of assembly”, said Castaldo.

Castaldo also stressed his concern over the arrest of accredited observer organizations who were exercising their constitutional rights.

“The passing of regressive legal provisions and acts of violence and intimidation resulted in a climate of fear.  The violent arrest of members of accredited citizen observer organizations ZESN and ERC, who exercised their constitutional rights, on 23 August, is of great concern. Both organizations are credible and respected human rights defenders,” said Castaldo

Castaldo emphasized that the 2023 Zimbabwean elections fell short of regional and international standards.

“Ultimately the elections fell short of many regional and international standards, including key principles of equality, universality, transparency and accountability.”

“The EU EOM’s media analysis revealed similar short-comings. State-controlled media allocated substantially more airtime and print space to the ruling party, President Mnangagwa and the government,” said Castaldo.

The EU EOM noted in the press release that they experienced problems in assessing official bodies despite an administrative arrangement between the Zimbabwean government and the EU.

“EU EOM experienced problems in assessing official bodies this was despite an administrative arrangement between the Zimbabwean government and the European Union which stipulated access to all participants in the electoral process.

The EU EOM also deplores an extensive and sustained disinformation and defamation campaign in some media and social platforms against the EU EOM and other international observer organizations,” said Castaldo.

The EU EOM was invited by the government of Zimbabwe to observe the 2023 Harmonized Elections.

Perpetua Murungweni

Zimbabwe’s main opposition, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has gained one more parliamentary seat in Masvingo Province making them two from one it got in 2018.

CCC won the newly created Chiredzi Central constituency and retained Masvingo Urban which was their sole seat in the past five year term.

CCC’s Ropafadzo Makumire who won Chiredzi Central was Chiredzi Town Council Vice Chairperson having gotten into council in 2018 as an independent candidate and later joined CCC on its formation.

Makumire garnered 123442 votes, while his former boss Gibson Hwende who was council chairperson and contested as an independent candidate got 676 and Francis Moyo of Zanu PF who was council chairperson between 2013 and 2018 also got 7832 votes.

Zanu PF won 23 out of 25 constituencies and the 26^th, Gutu West had no election following the death of one the candidates Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi died before elections and will have a by-election at a later date.

In 2013, Zanu PF won all the 26 constituencies and lost Masvingo Urban to MDC-Alliance in 2018.

Beverly Bizeki 

According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) results released recently, out of the 26 constituencies in Masvingo Province, only two women made it to parliament through the ballot.

The two are both Zanu PF and from Mwenezi District where Priscilla Zindari Moyo retained Mwenezi West and Sheillah Chikomo won in the newly created Mwenezi East Constituency.

Chikomo garnered 17 234 against Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s Martin Taruona who got 1 910.

In Mwenezi West, Moyo got 14 391 defeating Brilliant Chifumuro of CCC who garnered 1 054 and Tafadzwa Shumba Dhererai who contested as independent and got 6 495 votes.

Out of 59 candidates who contested for parliamentary seats, only four women contested in the elections.

The other two are Magret Mutswunguma and Fungai Chamisa. Mutswunguma contested in Chivi North on United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) ticket and lost to Godfrey Mukungunugwa of Zanu PF.

Chamisa contested in Chiredzi North on a CCC ticket and garnered 2 584 but lost to Roy Bhila who got 18 696 votes.

In 2018, there were only three women parliamentarians namely Berita Chikwama from Gutu East, Yeukai Simbanegavi in Gutu North and Moyo in Mwenezi West were elected.

…wins council seat in Zaka

Brighton Chiseva

There was a shocking incident on Election Day in Zaka district at St James Chivamba High School polling station in ward 15, Zaka Central where the school deputy head and Zanu PF candidate for the local authority seat was assisted to vote on the polling day.
The deputy head Simion Chakazani is alleged to have been assisted by a local and known Zanu PF man only identified as Chadya after allegedly telling polling officers that he wanted help.
When contacted for comment on the matter, Zanu PF provincial spokesperson Pepukai Chiwewe said he was not aware of the incident but said there was nothing amiss over what he did because it’s his right.
“I haven’t heard about that incident but there is nothing wrong with what he did, it’s his right if he was not forced to do so. Maybe he did it for fun like in some cases people say they want to be assisted by their chairperson or any other person,” Chiwewe said.
Sources said Chakazani could have been forced to be assisted as he had allegedly tried to pull of the race after his salary was ceased by the public service for being an active member in political parties having won the primaries to represent Zanu PF.
“Chakazani tried to pull off the race after his salary was ceased and he wasn’t sure of the outcome of the election. He opted to remain a teacher than losing both. I think he was forced to remain as candidate that is why he was assisted to vote since they were afraid that he might waste his vote,” said the source
By 1300hrs, the polling station had already recorded 60 assisted voters and the reasons were said to be old age, nervousness, poor eyesight and blindness among other reasons.
Cases of voter intimidation are alleged to have reigned supreme in the district and a number of people were forced to say they were illiterate and had to be assisted to vote and in a shocking incident
One of the Zanu PF groupings known as Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) had a desk where they recorded every person who was coming to vote.
Zanu PF went on to win all three parliamentary seats in the district and won 33 out of 34 local authority seats having poached two, ward 11 and 22 from CCC which previously held the seats.

Beverly Bizeki

25-year-old Shantel Yeukai Chiwara of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) recently shrugged off competition from the male contestants to land Masvingo West’s ward 2 council seat in the August 23 harmonized polls.
Chiwara was declared winner after she got 2 287 votes, with Hwata Benson of Zanu PF getting 1 304, Anderson Paradza of MDC T with 21 votes and Charity Shoko (DUZ) getting a paltry of 17 votes.
Chiwara said she was grateful to everyone who had supported her and promised to work with people in her ward towards development.
“I would like to thank everyone who voted for me. It was not an easy journey but we sailed through.
“I would like urge people from ward 2 people to continue working together with me to fulfil the dictates of the mandate they gave me for the development of our ward,” said Chiwara.
Chiwara is an investment banker by profession and a former Victoria High learner. She is currently studying towards a Strategic Management Masters’ degree at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) and is a holder of a Bachelors’ Degree in Banking at National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Her father James Chiwara is the former deputy mayor of Masvingo, who deputized former mayor Hubert Fidze.
She won the chance to represent CCC after disqualification of Roki Kamuzonda and Frank Chirairo among others, with Kamuzonda filing as independent but later withdrew and Chirairo as another CCC candidate who also withdrew after negotiations with other party members.

Trinity Mapendere

The Chief’s Council President Chief Fortune Charumbira and his deputy Chief Mtshane Khumalo on Thursday August 10 2023 made history by swapping positions, a development which saw Chief Khumalo becoming the president while Chief Charumbira deputise him.
The two sailed through unopposed after the two served together for the past 10 years, with Charumbira deciding not to seek re-election.
The two Chiefs automatically become members of the senate as the law, (Section 120.1 (c)) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which provides that the President and Deputy President of the National Chiefs Council after being elected automatically become members of the Senate.
Chief Charumbira who is also currently serving as the President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), has higher chances of retaining his seat in Parliament notwithstanding the dissolution of the Zimbabwean Parliament on 23 August this month, when the country holds its general election.
Chief Charumbira will continue as a ‘Returning Member’ of PAP and as a ‘Returning Member’ under the Rules of Procedure of the Pan-African Parliament as amended, there are no impediments to his continuing his office term as the President of the continental parliament having been appointed as Senator in Zimbabwe.
Rule 16(15) of PAP’s Rules of Procedure states that, “A member of the Bureau shall remain competent to perform his or her duties and functions if he or she is re-elected or re-designated by his or her National Parliament or other deliberative organ.”