Expelled Zanu PF legislator Temba Mliswa has defeated a candidate for his former party Zanu PF in a tightly contested by-election in the Norton constituency, a small town 40km west of the Zimbabwe capital.
Mliswa, an independent contestant, garnered 8927 votes on Saturday to beat Ronald Chindedza, who got 6192. Third contestant David Choga of the National Constitution Assembly got a measly 89 votes.
A lone ranger, Mliswa campaigned for the seat with the support of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T), despite incidents of alleged abductions, gross violence, voter intimidation, and vote-buying by the governing party.
MDC-T vice president Nelson Chamisa last Sunday called a rally at Ngoni Stadium in the small town, which, however, was allegedly disrupted by Zanu PF supporters and riot police, the latter who teargassed opposition supporters.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his colleague Phelekezela Mphoko took turns to canvass for support for Chindedza.
Last week, Mphoko took along labour and social welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira to campaign for their candidate. A few days later, Mnangagwa, together with Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, also found time to campaign for the losing candidate.
During the campaigns, Zanu PF promised 9000 stands, among other goodies, to the electorate if they voted for the ruling party’s candidate.
Before polling day, Mliswa had said his campaign trail had “not been [an] easy” journey.
“… I pray that the sterling efforts will be translated into success… Win or lose, however, I am proud to have played such a pivotal role in election reform-making history and am confident that these efforts will not be in vain,” he said.
After the loss, Kasukuwere conceded defeat through a post on a social media site. “Norton has eluded us. Key lessons have been learnt. Thank you to our supporters for coming out and voting for our candidate,” he said.
Mliswa was expelled from Zanu PF at the beginning of last year and he lost the Hurungwe West seat. His crime was allegedly siding with former vice president Joice Mujuru and other top former Zanu PF heavies, such as ex-state security minister Didymus Mutasa, former labour minister Nicholas Goche, and former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, all accused of plotting to topple Mugabe.
A by-election was held in June 2015, where Mliswa contested the seat, but lost to Keith Guzah. Following the recall of former Norton legislator Christopher Mutsvangwa in July this year, Mliswa vied for the Norton seat.
He also had the support of war veterans in the form of his constituency predecessor Mutsvangwa Douglas Mahiya.
