GUTU – Zanu PF candidate John Paradza has been announced winner of the Gutu West parliamentary by-election weekend, polling 12,147 votes, a reduced tally compared to what he garnered 2018.
In a surprise development, independent candidate Martin Mudzingwa was second with 1,775 votes while CCC candidate Ephraim Morudu polled 1,258.
NCA’s Robson Kurwa got 138 votes.
The seat belonged to Zanu PF which it had won with the same candidate during the 2018 elections.
The Gutu West parliamentary election did not take place during the country’s August 23 general elections after one of the candidates who had registered to take part died before the poll.
Zanu PF now has 24 out of 26 seats in Masvingo province.
In 2018, Paradza won the seat with 14,139 votes while the then MDC Alliance candidate Stanley Manguma got 2,998.
Knowledge Mupini, who was another MDC Alliance candidate – later to turn CCC – in the same poll, polled 536.
The 2023 by-election took place at a time dozens of CCC MPs and councillors are being ousted by self-imposed party secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu.
