Tinaani Nyabereka
GWERU- Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has retained two of the three Gweru Urban wards they contested in by-elections held last weekend.
The opposition party managed to retain wards 4 and 18 while ward 5 fell in the hands of Zanu PF.
CCC ward 4 former councillor Martin Chivhoko retained his seat after emerging victorious with 643 votes against Zanu PF candidate Gibson Chingwadze who garnered 300 votes.
John Manyundwa of CCC was declared winner in ward 18 with 250 votes against Walter Makwalo of Zanu PF who got 182 votes.
In ward 5, former CCC councillor and Gweru Deputy Mayor Cleopas Shiri lost his seat with 472 votes to Kwanisai Mafa of Zanu PF who got 556 votes.
Newly elected ward 5 councillor Mafa thanked residents for bestowing their trust upon him.
“I would like thank the people of Senga ward 5 for voting resoundingly for me in this by-election. I promise not to betray the people of Senga for the trust they have shown.
“Our drainage systems are clogged with garbage and there are areas which need urgent attention in terms of service delivery.
“There is need to urgently look into these and also clean our drainages as we are already in the rainy season,” he said.
Ward 4’s Chivhoko also expressed gratitude to the residents for their unwavering support.
“I would like to thank ward 4 residents for their unwavering support they showed me. I promise that I will urgently look into the issues of service delivery affecting our ward that is poor state of roads, refuse collection and water provision,” said Chivhoko.
Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) however bemoaned a low voter turnout in the by-election.
According to ZESN the poor voter turnout was observed at polling stations like Cecil John Rhodes Primary School in ward 18 which, as at 1830 hours only had 35 voters out of a voter population of 645.
In the same ward at Child Welfare, 58 people had voted by 1830 hours while in ward 5, 86 people out of a total of 448 turned out to vote.
The three wards fell vacant following the recalling of three Gweru councillors in October by MDC-Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora over allegations of being loyal to his nemesis CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.
