The Sunday Mail
Ten political parties square off in the National Assembly by-elections scheduled for June 10 in 16 constituencies with 105 candidates participating – among them 37 independents.
Over 400 000 voters have registered, while the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has activated Multi-Party Liaison Committees to deal with politically-motivated violence.
No major complaints or violence cases have been reported, though MDC-T opted to boycott the polls to push for “electoral reforms”.
Poll contestants have said Zimbabwe’s electoral environment is conducive for free and fair by-elections and the MDC-T should be criticised for boycotting.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, Zanu-PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said the party, which already holds parliamentary majority, was targeting all 16 seats.
He said MDC-T had “dug its own political grave and no one will attend the funeral”.
“We are moving very well and are confident of winning all the 16 constituencies. Preparations have been going on well and our candidates have been holding big rallies to show that we mean business. They (MDC-T) dug their own grave, we will not go to their funeral.”
NCA leader, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said his party was also satisfied with the electoral environment, but wanted increased media coverage and access to Government resources.
He blasted MDC-T and its leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, for being hypocritical by boycotting elections born out of a Constitution-writing process they participated in.
“We have two basic problems, these are lack of access to public media and lack of access to Government resources. Despite this, we are going to field nine candidates. As a new party, we are not being over-ambitious, but these by-elections afford us an opportunity to see the progress that we are making.
“We don’t respect the MDC-T’s decision to boycott this election because it does not make sense. They were part of the Government – during the inclusive Government era – so they are part and parcel of producing the existing electoral environment.
“They also came up with the Constitution, which governs this election, so they are not qualified to mourn. When we were campaigning against the Constitution as a civic organisation only two years ago, they were the ones who were saying it is the best Constitution in the world. So, they cannot be seen to be mourning against what they produced.”
Transform Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Tsungai Mazando said, “One issue we are not happy about is that some of our (campaign) posters were destroyed.
Besides this, we are going to take part in the election and believe our chances (of winning) are high.”
zapu president Mr Dumiso Dabengwa said his party disagreed with MDC-T’s boycott, adding that they would field candidates.
He said: “We do not agree with those boycotting these elections. Our candidates are confident that if the game is fair, we will win the elections.
“However, we are not happy that we have not yet been supplied with the supplementary voters’ roll.” Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ) spokesperson Mr Leonard Joni described the environment as “generally conducive” to the holding of free and fair elections.
By-elections were proclaimed in 14 constituencies after MDC-T recalled 21 legislators who had joined MDC Renewal, and two more were proclaimed after zanu-pf expelled its former secretary for administration, Mr Didymus Mutasa, and Mashonaland West provincial chair, Mr Temba Mliswa, for plotting to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe.
zanu-pf is fielding candidates in all 16 constituencies while Transform Zimbabwe will field 13.
The NCA and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn have nine and seven candidates respectively, while zapu and Freedom Front Party are fielding five candidates each.
Dare and PDZ will each field four candidates, Progressive and Innovative Movement of Zimbabwe (two), African Democratic Party (two) and FC (one).
Each constituency has independent contestants.
Polls will take place in Harare East, Kambuzuma, Glen View South, Dzivaresekwa, Highfield, Kuwadzana, Lobengula, Mpopoma-Pelandaba, Pumula, Makokoba, Luveve, Tsholotsho North, Mbizo, Headlands, Dangamvura-Chikanga and Hurungwe West.
zec spokesperson, Mr Justin Manyau, said Multi-Party Liaison Committees would deal with any emerging concerns.
“Zec has activated the Multi-Party Liaison Committees (MPLCs) in the respective constituencies with by-elections to deal with issues relating to politically-motivated violence.
“The committees — comprising Zec officials, representatives of contesting political parties and members of the police force — are tools that Zec uses in conflict management.”
