ZANU-PF wins 389 wards unopposed

ZANU-PF wins 389 wards unopposed
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Thursday March 20, 2008 [03:00]

ZIMBABWE’S ruling ZANU-PF has registered another early lead after it won about 389 wards unopposed in the local government elections. ZANU-PF is also leading in parliamentary elections after two of its candidates in Mashonaland Central Province went through unopposed after filing their nomination papers last month. Zimbabwe’s harmonised presidential, parliamentary and council elections are scheduled for March 29, 2008.

According to the Zimbabwe Election Support Network’s (ZESN) latest election update, the ruling ZANU-PF was now ahead of all opposition political parties and independent contestants taking part in the harmonised elections.

ZESN, which is an independent election monitoring group stated that figures obtained from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) revealed that ZANU-PF had won 389 wards countrywide unopposed.

ZESN further stated that both factions of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) only managed to secure a combined number of 39 seats.

MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai led faction got 25 seats and the Professor Arthur Mutambara faction won 14 seats unopposed bringing the combined number of seats won by both factions to a total of 39.

About 1,572 wards throughout the country remained up for grabs in the March 29 harmonised presidential, parliamentary and council elections.

And ZESN chairperson Noel Kututwa noted that despite some administrative problems, the electoral commission was moving rapidly to accredit all 11,000 of ZESN’s anticipated observers and that it appreciated the speed with which the process was occurring.

“ZESN, therefore, urges ZEC to immediately allow accredited domestic and international observer groups access to observe all aspects of the electoral process in particular postal balloting. For Zimbabweans to have confidence in the electoral process, the management of elections must be transparent and accountable.

“This will also enable the winners, regardless of political affiliation, to have the legitimacy to govern. Preventing accredited domestic and international observer groups from observing postal balloting reduces transparency and potentially creates the perception that there is something to hide,” said Kukutwa.