Independent candidates win Harare wards in council by-elections

Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter

Independent candidates Mrs Kudzai Kadzombe and Mr Denford Ngadziore, won Wards 41 and 16 respectively in the council by-elections held on Saturday, February 3, 2024.

The two wards have been vacant since late last year when the two and several other opposition CCC councillors and Members of Parliament were recalled by the party’s interim secretary general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu.

Among the wards affected in Harare were Ward 16 and Ward 41 in Harare West Constituency. Voters reelected the two who contested the elections as independents to avoid being recalled again in the future.

Former Harare Mayor, Mr Ian Makone who was Ward 18 Councillor and Ward 5 Councillor Mr Samuel Gwenzi, were also among the recalled councillors.

However, their attempts to seek re-election under the CCC were thwarted after Mr Tshabangu successfully obtained a court order to prevent them from contesting in the by-election.

Consequently, Zanu PF candidates Councillor Rufaro Matsika and Councillor Abdurrahman Sapa were declared the duly elected councillors for Ward 18 and Ward 5 respectively as they won the wards uncontested.

Ahead of the weekend by-elections, CCC leader Mr Nelson Chamisa quit the opposition party and is believed to be plotting to form another opposition party.

So far two MPs Ms Fadzayi Mahere of Mt Pleasant and Mr Allan Markham of Harare East have resigned from Parliament in solidarity with Mr Chamisa saying they could not continue to be in Parliament under the CCC banner.

However, some CCC leaders notably Mr Tendai Biti have said they still belong to the party.

Mr Biti says he is still the vice president of CCC.

In an interview with nrtvZimbabwe, he affirmed his membership in the CCC and stated that he has no plans to leave the party.

Mr Biti said he was not aware of Mr Chamisa’s resignation stressing he had only read about it in the newspapers and had not received any formal communication.

“I have just read things in the newspapers. So I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know whether those letters are genuine or not. But speaking for myself, I am Tendai Biti, the Vice President of the Citizens Coalition for Change and I am going nowhere,” he said.

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has also said he will not resign saying that would hand the ruling party Zanu PF greater advantage.

“If I resign as mayor I have no doubt that Zanu PF will simply be provided with a foot in the door to assume much greater power,” he said.