GUTU, November 12, 2023 – Zanu PF secured a resounding victory in the Gutu West National Assembly by-election, with candidate John Paradza reclaiming the parliamentary seat he first won in 2018.
The ruling party’s deputy secretary for Youth Affairs in the politburo polled an impressive 12,147 votes, securing a decisive win against three other candidates.
Sebastian Mudzingwa, an independent candidate, emerged as the nearest challenger but trailed significantly with 1,775 votes.
Ephraim Morudu of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secured the third position with 1,258 votes, while Robson Kurwa of the NCA party settled for the fourth position with 138 votes.
A total of 132 papers were spoiled in the election.
The by-election, held peacefully, demonstrated a 60.2% voter turnout, according to the presiding officer, Augustine Musasa.
He officially declared John Paradza as the duly elected member of the National Assembly for the Gutu West constituency, announcing the results shortly after 3 am at the Matizha Primary School constituency command centre.
With this victory, Zanu PF now holds 24 out of 26 seats in the province, solidifying its political dominance.
The by-election was necessitated by the postponement of the poll on August 23, coinciding with the harmonized elections, due to the unfortunate death of candidate Christopher Mutonho.
The successful retention of the Gutu West parliamentary seat reaffirms Zanu PF’s stronghold in the region.
As the political landscape evolves, Zanu PF’s triumph in Gutu West adds another chapter to the ongoing political narrative, shaping the dynamics of representation in the National Assembly.
Zanu PF will be looking forward to securing a two-thirds majority in parliament by winning further seats in the upcoming December 9th by-elections necessitated by recalls from CCC official Sengezo Tshabangu.
