Through Statutory Instruments 147 and 148, and in line with section 39(2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2: 13], President Emmerson Mnangagwa issued proclamations ordering by-elections to fill the National Assembly seats for Glen View South and Mangwe Constituencies. The Glen View South seat fell vacant following the death of Vimbai Tsvangirai Java of the MDC Alliance on 10 June 2019 while the Mangwe seat fell vacant following the death of Obedingwa Mguni of ZANU-PF on 18 June 2019. As fixed by the President, the Nomination Courts sat today (26 July 2019) at the Magistrates’ Court, Rotten Row in Harare and at the Magistrates’ Court, Fifth Avenue in Gwanda. Both by-elections are scheduled to be held on 7 September.
ZESN deployed observers to observe and report on Nomination Court proceedings and results for both by-elections. This update is based on reports from the observers.
Opening and Closing of the Nomination Courts
In both cases, the Nomination Courts opened on time, at 10.00 am and closed on time at 4.00 pm.
Nominations Submitted before the Sitting of the Courts
The ZANU-PF candidate, Offan Muchuwe, and the UANC candidate, Elban Zisa, lodged their papers prior to the sitting of the Nomination Court for the Glen View South by-election. This is permissible in terms of the electoral laws.
Internal Parties’ Candidates Selection Processes
For the Glen View South Constituency, only ZANU-PF, ZAPU, and the MDC Alliance conducted primary elections. Candidates for the other parties were agreed on through consensus. None of the political parties contesting in the scheduled Mangwe National Assembly by-election conducted primary elections to choose candidates. For the Mangwe by-election, five prospective ZANU-PF candidates applied in their party but three were disqualified. Of the two women who were successful, the wife of the late former ZANU-PF MP was selected without the holding of primary elections.
Nomination Courts Results
The table below shows candidates who were dully nominated, and will thus be contesting in the by-elections, as well as their respective political parties.
Glen View South
| Candidate | Political Party | Sex | |
| 1. | Ellah Zisani | UANC | F |
| 2. | Offard Machuwe | Zanu PF | M |
| 3. | Vincent Tsvangirai | MDC Alliance | M |
| 4. | Kasema Maxwell | Independent | M |
| 5. | Phillip Chamunorwa Ndengu | Independent | M |
| 6. | Parlington Pikelele | UANC | M |
| 7. | Rosemary Nyamayedenga | Free Zim Congress | F |
| 8. | Crispen Rateiwa | ZAPU | M |
| 9. | Edwin Million | LEAD | M |
Mangwe
| Candidate | Political Party | Sex | |
| 1. | George Raphael Kositsile | MDC-T | M |
| 2. | Vincent Sihlabo | MDC Alliance | M |
| 3. | Hlalani Mguni | Zanu PF | F |
| 4. | Matthew Sibanda | ZAPU | M |
| 5. | Edmund Nleya | MRP | M |
| 6. | Zinkabi Tommy Ncube | Independent | M |
| 7. | Lizwe Dlomo | NCA | M |
| 8. | Varaidzo Phiri | LEAD | F |
Analysis of the Nomination Courts’ Outcome
At the close of the Nomination Courts, nine candidates had been duly nominated for the Glen View South Constituency seat, only two of whom were women. For the Mangwe Constituency seat, eight candidates had been duly nominated with only two being women. In view of the few women candidates who will be contesting in the two by-elections, ZESN continues to encourage women to participate as candidates in elections and calls on political parties to deliberately support and field more female candidates.
Source: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
