Zimbabweans went out on Saturday to vote in parliamentary and local authority by-elections seen as a yardstick of what is to come in next year’s general elections.
Following preliminary results released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa, has said the results of Saturday March 26,2022 are an indication that power truly belongs to the electorates.
Chamisa said this as ZEC updates indicate a clear lead of the CCC in most constituencies and wards where elections were held. He said:
“This by-election has shown that ultimately all authority comes from the CITIZENS. Citizens are above politicians & their foolish politics. Why did you waste national resources taxpayers’ money? Would these resources not have been deployed to better our health, education sectors?”
The by-elections were held to replace 28 members of Parliament (MPs) and 121 councillors who died and those who were recalled from their various office. The ZANU PF won two seats so far,while the CCC clinched most of the constituencies.
Most of the recalled were members of the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa. They were recalled by rival MDC-T following a 2020 Supreme Court ruling which ruled that Chamisa was not the legitimate leader of the MDC that contested in the 2018 elections.
Chamisa said the recalls were a design by the ruling ZANU PF to crumble the opposition in the land. They accused MDC-T of colluding with the ruling party.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the government gave funds under the Political Parties (Finance) Act to the MDC-T in proportion to the MDC Alliance vote of 2018.
The development has infuriated the Chamisa-led party which believes it should be receiving the money since Chamisa contested the 2018 elections, not Douglas Mwonzora.