CCC wins big in Bulilima by-elections

BULILIMA – Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa scored big in the Bulilima by-elections held on Saturday, wining two of the three wards on offer with Zanu PF managing to retain only one seat.

A total of five political parties contested in the Bulilima district by-elections for the three vacant local government seats as they sought to test their popularity in Matabeleland South ahead of the 2023 elections.

The seats in Bulilima Ward 1, 14 and 16 fell vacant following the resignation of two Zanu PF councillors Tony Mlotshwa (ward 1) and Ntungamili Dube (ward 14) and the death of Delani Mabhena (ward 16).

CCC, a party less than a year old bagged Bulilima Ward 1 which was won by Ephraim Moyo who polled 385 votes over Phaphama Kossam Ndlovu (Zanu PF) who managed 315 votes.

The yellow party also managed to wrestle away Bulilima Ward 16 from Zanu PF after Moyo Makhadi polled 131 votes over Jaine Moyo who only managed 118 votes.

Zanu PF made amends for their bad day when the managed to retain the Bulilima Ward 14 seat through Experience Dube who managed 459 votes while another Ephraim Moyo (CCC) managed 332 votes.

Saturday’s by-election was not short of its drama as the eventual victorious party (CCC) complained of voters bussing gimmicks by the ruling party and high numbers of assisted voters.

“We’re receiving reports that at Malalume Secondary School polling station in Bulilima, two cabinet ministers, Evelyn Ndlovu and Dingumuzi Phuthi are reportedly bussing voters to the station. Phuthi is reported to have offloaded 4 times while Ndlovu has offloaded once. The station has 708 registered voters,” party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere complained.

In Bulilima Ward 16 there were three spoilt ballot papers while the percentage poll recorded was 50,35 percent, in Ward 1 a total of 14 ballot papers were spoilt in a poll whose percentage was 50,80 and for Ward 14 the commission recorded a 53,24 percent with 5 ballot papers counted as spoilt.