By Reuben Kachisi
October 30 2006
Both camps of the MDC have made significant gains in the rural district council elections despite massive intimidation by Zanu (PF) during last Saturday's poll. Even before the poll Zanu (PF) had won almost half the seats uncontested countrywide.
Out of the 1400 rural district seats, the ruling regime is expected to get a majority. Reports from all the provinces say the voting system in the country still heavily favours Zanu (PF) who control the election machinery. In some areas vote counting is still going on while in other areas communication problems has meant a delay in getting the results. This has been attributed to massive logistical problems. Despite the intimidation, the Mutambara led MDC on Saturday took control of Nkayi district in Matebeleland North province when they won 15 out of 25 seats in the rural district council elections.
In all, the Mutambara camp has so far got 46 seats spread around the two Matebeleland provinces. Before the weekend poll the MDC in Nkayi had two seats but a massive voter turnout ensured that they wrestled the key seats from the ruling Zanu (PF) regime.
Abednigo Bhebhe the MP for Nkayi said he thought the voter turnout in the district could have been the highest since Independence. The opposition lost control of Nkayi when Zapu merged with Zanu (PF) in 1987. Before that the district was under the control of Zapu, led by the late Joshua Nkomo.
Although the results are still trickling in Zanu (PF) already controls most of the districts mainly due to its ability to intimidate rural voters and to rig the process. Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the Tsvangirai camp, said despite Zanu (PF)'s history of violence his party made significant inroads into rural areas that were once regarded as the bastion of support for the repressive regime.
In a statement Chamisa said they applaud and salute the hundreds of thousands of heroes and heroines across Zimbabwe who continue to invest in the electoral route to achieve a new Zimbabwe.
'This is a major victory which shows that the people have issued an eviction notice to the regime. This is against the background of our candidates being hounded out of their areas by Zanu PF thugs. There are thousands who voted for MDC candidates in Muzarabani, even after those candidates had since fled those areas after their houses were burnt down by identified Zanu PF hooligans and state agents,' said Chamisa.
Chamisa said the results at hand show that for the first time Zimbabwe will have opposition councillors in Kariba, Shamva and Bikita.
'For the first time, we have a national rejection of Zanu PF and its representatives, and all that it stands for, namely poverty, persecution of perceived political opponents and failed socio-economic policies in the rural areas. For the first time the people shall have MDC representation in Shurugwi and Gutu South rural district councils,' he said.
He added that his party now has councillors deep down in rural Gokwe, Chimanimani, Buhera, Chipinge North and South.
'Our candidates shall be representing people's interests in the rural district council chambers in Guruve, Matobo, Binga, Lupane, Chirumanzu and Mutasa communal lands. It is significant to note that all these council seats that we now control across the country were previously held by Zanu PF,' Chamisa said.
Their mayoral candidate in Kadoma, Jonas Ndenda, told us there were road blocks mounted by Zanu (PF) youths during Saturday's poll. He said a number of their supporters were either turned away or beaten up by the youths.
'We told election officials about this but they just ignored us. It was as if they were blind and deaf,' he said.
A senior MDC official said the party faced massive logistical problems as a result of fuel shortages in the run-up to Saturday's Kadoma mayoral and rural district council elections. Elias Mudzuri, the national organising secretary told us then that the shortage of fuel supplies at that critical time of electioneering was another of Zanu (PF)'s strategies to rig the poll.
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