The Sunday News
George Maponga in MASVINGO
VOTING ended peacefully in the Gutu West National Assembly by-election, which was marked by high voter turnout yesterday, while vote counting commenced last night, with results expected in the early hours of this morning.
Gutu West was the only constituency that did not hold National Assembly elections on August 23 and 24, as polling had to be suspended after one of the nominated candidates — Mr Christopher Mutonho Rwodzi, an independent candidate — died in a road accident just before the plebiscite.
Zanu-PF’s Deputy Secretary for Youth Cde John Paradza; Mr Ephraim Morudu of CCC; Mr Robson Kurwa of NCA; and Mr Sebastian Mudzingwa, an independent candidate, were vying for the seat.
Cde John Paradza
Yesterday morning, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba visited the constituency command centre at Matizha Primary School, including some polling stations, to check on the voting process.
Cd Paradza cast his ballot at the primary school around 2pm.
In an interview, after voting, Cde Paradza hailed the flawless voting process.
He also said he was confident he would prevail.
“I am very satisfied with the way voting has been progressing since morning. We have not received any report of violence or any hitches, and the process has been very peaceful. And I want to commend ZEC for delivering a clean and peaceful poll,” he said.
Speaking soon after voting ended at 7pm last night, ZEC constituency elections officer Mr Augustine Musasa said counting had started.
“Voting has closed at all polling stations across the constituency, with no single reported case of violence, and now, vote counting has started, with results expected to be forwarded to the ward collation centre before being relayed here at the constituency election centre,” he said.
There were long queues when voted began at all 53 polling centres across 10 wards in the constituency.
However, by 3pm most of the queues had disappeared.
