CHINHOYI — Two sitting MDC-T legislators from Mashonaland West were yesterday shocked after failing to garner enough votes to give them an automatic ticket to represent the party in the upcoming general elections expected later this year.
REPORT BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
The on-going confirmation exercise of serving lawmakers has so far claimed scalps in Harare and Bulawayo, with the latest casualties being Mashonaland West’s duo of Stewart Garadhi (Chinhoyi) and Takalani Matibe (Chegutu West).
Garadhi polled 192 votes against 388 opposed to his candidature, while Matibe managed to garner 98 “yes” ballots against 314 people who voted against him.
The results meant Garadhi and Matibe would have to go for primary elections to get the right to represent MDC-T.
Speaking after the exercise yesterday, a visibly-shocked Garadhi said he would have to consult other stakeholders before considering whether to contest the primaries or not.
“The elections were free and fair, the result is the will of the people and I respect it. My inability to garner more than half of the votes means people no longer have faith in my leadership, but I would have to consult stakeholders before making a decision on the primaries,” Garadhi said.
Matibe said he had already made up his mind and would not stand in the primaries expected in a fortnight.
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Matibe said: “I have not been confirmed meaning the electorate has had a change of heart. I would not waste resources to try to change the disparity between the “yes” and “no” vote which is too glaring. I have thrown in the towel.”
Information received at the time of going to print indicated that national youth representative Abigail Sauti had won the primaries in Zvimba North where she would have to wrestle the seat from incumbent MP Ignatius Chombo, who is also Local Government minister.
