By Wezhira Munya
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), led by popular President Nelson Chamisa, will contest the council by-election scheduled for December 9, 2023, in Masvingo West Ward 2.
Today, November 7, 2023, CCC’s Masvingo West Ward 2 council candidate, Shantel Chiwara, successfully filed her nomination papers at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) office, located in the Masvingo Civic Centre.
Chiwara submitted her nomination papers at around 10:30 a.m. today.
Former Masvingo City Mayor, Chiwara, said, “I have successfully submitted my nomination papers to ZEC officials, and I am happy that the party led by President Nelson Chamisa has granted me the opportunity to represent it in the forthcoming by-election on December 9, 2023.”
She further added, “I am pleased with the support that Ward 2 residents are giving me as the CCC candidate to represent them. Collectively, we are going to win Ward 2.”
The Ward 2 council seat became vacant after Zanu PF proxy and self-imposed CCC Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu illegally recalled former Masvingo City Mayor Shantel Chiwara.
Mayor Shantel Chiwara won resoundingly in the August 23, 2023, harmonized elections with 2,287 votes, defeating Zanu PF’s Hwata Benson, who obtained 1,304 votes, Mwonzora’s MDC candidate Anderson Paradza, who garnered 21 votes, and DUZ’s Charity Shoko, who received a mere 17 votes.
Chiwara showcased her popularity in Ward 2 during the August 23, 2023, elections by defeating Zanu PF’s candidate Hwata by almost 1000 votes.
Chiwara made history by becoming Masvingo’s first female mayor since independence, the youngest mayor in Zimbabwe at the age of 25, and the first female councilor in Masvingo West Ward 2.
In the by-election on December 9, 2023, President Chamisa’s CCC candidate, Chiwara, will compete against Zanu PF candidate Hwata and CCC Tshabangu candidate Rocky Kamuzonda, a former Ward 2 councilor.
Both Chiwara and Kamuzonda will use the CCC party, but the difference is that Chiwara represents President Chamisa’s CCC, while Kamuzonda is running under Tshabangu’s CCC.
MDC Mwonzora and DUZ candidates will not participate in this by-election after their heavy defeats in the August 23, 2023, harmonized elections against Chiwara.
On August 23, 2023, CCC’s Masvingo West member of parliament candidate, Mr. Pedzisai Gasva, said, “We urge all Masvingo West Ward 2 residents to vote for our CCC council candidate, Shantel Chiwara. We must win this seat to challenge Tshabangu and his supporters.”
In 2021, the newly formed CCC defeated MDC Mwonzora and Zanu PF, cementing the view that the CCC party is the strongest and most popular party in Zimbabwe.
Tshabangu and his team should be defeated on December 9, 2023, to make way for change, said Mr. Tapera Kudzayi.
In Masvingo Province, Tshabangu recalled the youngest Masvingo City Mayor, Chiwara, and Senator Godfrey Madzikanda.
