HARARE – Zanu PF reclaimed the Nyanga Ward 26 council seat from the MDC, and held on to Ward 31 in Bikita after elections on Saturday.
Zanu PF’s Bizel Mapeta polled 397 votes to beat Vincent Bopoto of the MDC, who trailed with 236 votes.
In Bikita, Thomas Matanga of Zanu PF was declared winner with 1,112 votes, beating closes challenger Moses Maphosa of the MDC who had 410 votes while the NCA’s Peter Mavenga came third with 23 votes.
The Nyanga seat fell vacant following the death of MDC councillor Elias Mashumba while the Bikita by-election was called after the death of Zanu PF councillor Patrick Marozhe on April 15 this year.
Zanu PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo said their by-election victory was a “barometer for future polls”.
“The writing is clear on the wall that the party is well set in pole position ahead of the 2023 national polls,” Khaya Moyo said in a statement.
The MDC accused Zanu PF of abusing state machinery on the campaign trail, and employing intimidation tactics.
The party’s deputy chairman Job Sikhala was arrested after comments made at a rally in Bikita.
“The MDC notes the results of the Nyanga and Bikita by-elections, the party expected better results but lessons will be made use of in the upcoming elections,” the party’s secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said.
He added: “We want to place it on record that the election environment is still characterised by closure of democratic space and abuse of state entities to the benefit of Zanu PF.
“Our deputy national chairperson was arrested for statements made on the campaign trail in Bikita, this creates barriers to free campaigns but more importantly, the episode was meant to intimidate the people of Bikita.
“Issues of biased food distribution were also reported. Last week there was a partisan distribution of rice and beans. The long and short of it is that the by-election results reflect a dividend of lack of holistic electoral reform. These are issues we demand to be resolved through dialogue to cure the cyclical phenomenon of disputed elections.”
