ZanuPF won two local authority seats in the by-elections held last Saturday by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
The elections were in Mberengwa Rural District Council Ward 15 and Nyanga Rural District Council 27.
In Nyanga RDC ward 27 ZanuPF fielded Simon Nyazenga while the opposition Citizen Coalition For Change (CCC) fielded Taurai Tichiwangani as a candidate respectively.
According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Nyazenga garnered 376 votes while Tichiwangani garnered 123 votes.
Furthermore, in Mberengwa RDC 15 ZanuPF fielded Albenias Nkonzo while CCC fielded Cornias Dhongijena as candidates for the two parties respectively. Nkonzo and Donjijena garnered 165 and 756 votes respectively.
According to the Declaration Of Results Of Poll posted on the ZEC Twitter account, in both elections, the poll percentage was 58.24% and 53.2% in Ward 15 and 27 respectively.
Both seats became vacant after the death of the incumbent councilors.
Observations By Zesn
A situational report statement issued by election watchdog Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) highlighted that by midday of polling day, the political environment in both wards was peaceful.
ZESN further suggests that there was a high number of assisted voters a situation that has raised suspicion among other opposition political parties.
“High numbers of assisted voters on account of illiteracy and visual impairment induced by old age were observed at some polling stations as of midday.
“For instance, in Mberengwa Ward 15 by 11:00 hours, 24 voters had been assisted at Ruzengwe polling station; 19 at Chegato Secondary School polling station; nine (9) at Magavakava Primary School polling station and 14 at Rubweruchena Tent polling station due to illiteracy.
“In Nyanga Ward 27 at Raudzi Primary School polling station, 1 voter was assisted and 5 voters were assisted at Nyanzou Primary School polling station,” read the statement.
After the 2013 elections call to amend the electoral act on assisted voters were made to parliament and the election management body.
Although the electoral act provides for assistance of voters the number of those that need help is on the rise.
Opposition Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) has called the rising number of assisted voters, “a rigging strategy.”
