ED close to clinching two-thirds majority

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Mnangagwa close to achieving two-thirds Parliamentary majority; Zanu PF claims seven constituencies in Saturday’s by-elections

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is close to getting a two-thirds majority in Parliament, with fears Zanu PF will possibly amend Zimbabwe’s constitution and ensure he stays in office beyond his final term.

Zanu PF had failed to get a Parliamentary majority at the August polls, winning 136 out of 210 constituencies, with the remainder belonging to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s CCC before taking advantage of Saturday’s elections.

After the Proportional Representation seats were declared the figure rose to 176 out of 280.

A round of recalls by Sengezo Tshabangu who claims to be the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Interim Secretary General is what forced by-elections where Zanu PF has capitalised and increased its stake in Parliament.

Following ZEC’s by-election results announcement, Zanu PF has 184 seats and 2 seats away from the two-thirds majority. A second round of by-elections will be held on February 3 following the recall of six more opposition MPs by Tshabangu.

Zanu PF won six of the eight constituencies in which by-elections were held with its monied gold buyer Pedzai Sakupwanya claiming the Mabvuku-Tafara seat uncontested.

With Chamisa’s preferred candidates barred from contesting, Tshabangu chose and fielded in all constituencies, winning two Lobengula-Magwegwe and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi.

Tshabangu-backed Tendayi Nyathi got 1,648 to clinch the Lobengula-Magwegwe seat by beating Zanu PF’s Menziwa Dube.

In Mpopoma Mzilikazi, Tshabangu’s candidate Charles Moyo was duly elected with 1 632 votes.

Zanu PF then had a clean sweep of the remainder; winning in Cowdray Park where Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was floored in August by Chamisa’s Pashor Sibanda and also claimed Nketa constituency.

Businessman Raj Modi bounced back into Parliament, having lost in August, by beating Tshabangu’s James Sithole by about 500 votes.

Zanu PF went on to claim wins in Lupane and Beitbridge West where Thusani Ndou beat Independent candidate Brendan Dube and Zapu’s Thoriso Noyo by just over 4,500.

Chineka Muchimba, Zanu PF’s candidate in Binga North eventually won the seat having failed to unseat Prince Dubeko Sibanda in August.