THE ruling Zanu PF party took an early lead in election results announced yesterday, claiming 36 seats against Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance’s 11 seats.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
Former Zanu PF legislator Masango Matambanadzo now with the opposition NPF pulled a shocker in Kwekwe Central where he trounced MDC Alliance Blessing Chebundo, according to results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission last night.
In Matabeleland region, Chamisa and his ex-co MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe literally tripped each other and handed over legislative seats to Zanu PF by dividing the vote.
For example in Nkayi South the MDC Alliance’s candidate Jabulani Hadebe garnered 6647 votes losing to Zanu PF’s Stars Mathe who swept to power after polling 7932 votes. However Khupe’s break-away MDC-T party national chairman Abednico Bhebhe came third with 3923 votes.
The MDC Alliance won in Hwange East, Hwange West, Gwanda Central, Chipinge West, Chipinge East, Kadoma Central, Mutare Central, Chinhoyi, Marondera Central, Makokoba and Emakhandeni-Entumbane.
Among the 36 won by Zanu PF include sweeping victories in Uzumba, Mutoko East and South, Mudzi West, Murewa West, Shurugwi North, Mberengwa North and West, Zvishavane-Runde, Zvishavane-Ngezi, Umguza and Chipinge Central. The ruling party also won in Buhera West, Gutu South, Muzarabani South and Mutare North among others in most cases with wide margins.
There were complaints from the opposition with MDC Alliance secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora accusing Zec of setting an agenda with the way the Commission was releasing results.
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“They have results for Harare and we have won but for some strange reason they are keeping them. We are aware that there is some logic in this madness because Zec and Zanu PF want to create a certain narrative. A particular agenda that seeks to lay down the country slowly before some disappointment,” Mwonzora said.
However, there was also a developing trend in the presidential poll according to polling station results scanned by NewsDay in which an MDC Alliance parliamentary candidate lost to Zanu PF but Chamisa beat President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the race for the top job.
For instance, in Beitbridge East constituency election officer Renias Muleya announced Albert Nguluvhe (Zanu PF) had won by 13 949, while Mnangagwa got 13 042 and Chamisa 13 166, but regained lost ground in Beitbridge West with 8 049, while Chamisa got 3 597, according to constituency election officer Peter Moyo.
MDC Alliance sources claimed this was an indication that their candidate had won the popular vote for the presidency although the party may have lost in the race for the legislature.
The MDC Alliance also claimed Zec had denied them access to what are known as V11 Forms that contain collated results for each polling station. But Zec Commissioner Qhubani Moyo rubbished this.
“The Commission has not denied anyone any information relating to the elections. It must be noted however that some political parties did not have agents at some polling stations. Where they did not have agents it is possible that they did not have access to the information for that polling station.
“If they had agents they would have had no problems accessing those forms,” Moyo said.
