ZANU PF is expected to hold primary election re-runs for local authorities in at least 24 wards on Saturday next week after a number of incidents in the initial polls necessitated the retake.
The re-runs will complete the party’s selection of candidates for the harmonised elections due in the next few months, after it concluded the primaries for parliamentary representatives recently.
The ruling party last week announced the final list of the candidates for Parliament after endorsement by the Politburo.
Zanu PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha last night confirmed that in some cases, there was no absolute winner due to equal numbers of votes received by candidates.
In other cases, uncontested winners had pending court cases and so his department in such cases recommended reruns.
Some wards were affected by change of boundaries during the delimitation exercise and no candidates were fielded.
“Those who sneaked in and participated in the primary elections while they have pending criminal cases not cleared by the courts will be disqualified,” said Cde Bimha. “The party will not tolerate any element of criminality from its rank and file. Those candidates will be disqualified.”
Provinces, Cde Bimha said, will be furnished with information pertaining to wards where primary election reruns should be conducted in due course.
“The department is, however, alive to challenges encountered during the electoral process,” he said.
“The commissariat department acknowledges receipt of local authority primary elections results conducted by all provinces between March 25 and 26, 2023.
“The department has carried out an analysis of the results and is satisfied that the election process went on well in most of the wards.”
The party is targeting to mobilise five million votes to ensure a resounding victory in the harmonised elections. – The Herald
