MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU- The country’s two main political rivals Zanu PF and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have successfully fielded all House of Assembly candidates in 28 constituencies in the Midlands Province.
The parties also fielded all six Senators and Proportional Representatives as required by the Electoral Act and the constitution.
There are no candidates from both parties who lodged papers as independent candidates for the House of Assembly.
Seven political parties in the province have their candidates dully nominated as compared to 17 parties that fielded candidates in 2018.
Zanu PF, CCC, MDC-T, DOP, UZA and Freeze Congress successfully lodged their candidates in Gweru district compared to nine parties in 2018.
With Zanu PF and CCC candidates dominate in Shurugwi District, Chirumhanzu District, Gokwe South and Mberengwa District.
In the House of Assembly, MDC-T only managed to field candidates in six constituencies; Kwekwe Central, Mbizo, Gweru Urban, Zvishavane Ngezi, Mkoba North and South, with the Independent candidates from Kasukuwere camp also fielded names in 6 constituencies in the whole province respectively.
The Kasukuwere outfit will contest in Redcliff, Silobela, Gokwe Nembudziya, Gokwe Mapfungautsi, Gokwe Central and Zvishavane Ngezi.
UZA managed to filed in four constituencies, Freeze Congress two constituencies, DOP two constituencies and ZAPU Gokwe Central only.
In Shurugwi North Zanu PF candidate, Joseph Mpasi will contest against CCC’s Philip Mhindu, with the incumbent former Minister of State Owen Mudha Ncube from Zanu PF locking horns with Onias Hwata of CCC in Gokwe-Kana Constituency.
Zanu PF and CCC candidates will battle out in the three Mberengwa constituencies.
Meanwhile, the ruling ZANUPF party has already bagged more than 20 local government seats uncontested in Gokwe South Vungu and Zibagwe constituencies after the opposition parties failed to field candidates in those wards.
In Kwekwe’ the former Minister of Health in the inclusive government Dr Henry Madzorera was duly nominated as ward 4 candidate and will battle it out with a business mogul Solomon Matsa from Zanu PF, Aaron Ozman from UZA as well as Ruvimbo Tafara stand as an independent.
Five political parties will lock horns in Gweru’s 18 wards. These are Zanu PF, CCC, UDA, MDC-T and DAUZ.
Zanu PF and CCC have also fielded women and youth quarter candidates for the local government in Gweru district.
In 2018 won 22, MDC-A 5 and NPF one seat in house of National Assembly in the province.
Speaking at a media briefing organized by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists in Gweru both Zanu PF and CCC representatives called for a peaceful campaign and urged their supporters to shun violence.
