The parliamentary and local authority by-elections scheduled for March 26 will prepare the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) for the 2023 harmonised elections, chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba has said.
Justice Chigumba said she will be observing the
by-elections in the Midlands Province, primarily focusing on rural
constituencies to have an appreciation of the logistical challenges, including
poor road network and areas without electricity so that corrective measures,
where necessary, would be taken.
“In 2018 I was observing the elections in Harare and for
these by-elections, I have come to the Midlands which is vast and has rural
constituencies so that we deal with the perennial issues that affect the Midlands
Province,” she said.
“We have some outlying areas with poor road network, no
electricity where we would want to improve in terms of efficiency.”
Justice Chigumba was in Gweru on Wednesday as candidates
were filing their nomination papers with the Nomination Court.
Aspiring candidates who successfully filed their papers
expressed confidence of winning in the upcoming by-elections.
Cde William Gondo, who will represent Zanu PF in Mkoba
Constituency, said he will be seeking to defeat Mr Amos Chibaya who has been
the area’s National Assembly member since 2000, under the opposition MDC
ticket.
The seat became vacant after Mr Chibaya was recalled by the MDC-T. He will be contesting under the Citizens Coalition for Change.
“I have successfully filed my papers and I am going back on
the ground. People are fed up, they want development and they have faith in
President Mnangagwa so as his lieutenants, we have to work hard,” said Cde
Gondo.
Mrs Iren Vhezha, who filed her papers under the
little-known Zimbabwe People’s Action Party (ZPAP) for the same constituency,
said she hopes to be the first female legislator for the constituency. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment