2023–2024 Zimbabwean by-elections explained

Election Name:2023 Zimbabwean by-elections
Country:Zimbabwe
Type:Legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2023 Zimbabwean general election
Previous Year:2023
Next Election:2028 Zimbabwean general election
Next Year:2028
Seats For Election:10 out of the 280 seats in the National Assembly
Election Date:
Image1:Emmerson Mnangagwa (2019-01-15).jpg
Leader1:Emmerson Mnangagwa
Party1:Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front
Last Election1:176 seats, 56.11%
Seats After1:184 seats
Seat Change1:8
Leader2:Nelson Chamisa
Party2:CCC
Last Election2:103 seats, 41.58%
Seats After2:78 seats
Seat Change2:25
Party3:ZAPU
Last Election3:0 seats, 0%
Seats After3:0 seats
Leader4:Lovemore Madhuku
Party4:National Constitutional Assembly
Last Election4:0 seats, 0%
Seats After4:0 seats
Leader5:Harry Peter Wilson
Party5:DOP
Last Election5:0 seats, 0%
Seats After5:0 seats
Election Name:2024 Zimbabwean by-elections
Country:Zimbabwe
Type:Legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2023 Zimbabwean general election
Previous Year:2023
Next Election:2028 Zimbabwean general election
Next Year:2028
Election Date:
Image1:Emmerson Mnangagwa (2019-01-15).jpg
Leader1:Emmerson Mnangagwa
Party1:Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front
Last Election1:184 seats
Seats After1:192 seats
Seat Change1:8
Leader2:Unknown
Party2:CCC
Last Election2:78 seats
Seats After2:78 seats
Party3:ZAPU
Last Election3:0 seats
Seats After3:0 seats
Party4:National Constitutional Assembly
Last Election4:0 seats
Seats After4:0 seats
Party5:DOP
Last Election5:0 seats
Seats After5:0 seats

By-elections were held in Zimbabwe on 11 November 2023, on 9 December 2023, on 3 February 2024 and on 27 April 2024 to fill vacancies in the National Assembly and in local government.[1] [2] The by-elections were triggered by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed to be the interim Secretary-General of the Citizens Coalition for Change, when he recalled nine constituency legislators, six proportional representative women’s quota and senators and seventeen councilors mainly from Bulawayo, one of the party's strongholds.[3] [4] [5] [6]

Background

Gutu West Constituency

Due to the death of independent candidate Christopher Mutonhori before the general election on 23 August 2023, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission cancelled the parliamentary election in the Gutu West constituency in terms of Section 50 of the Electoral Act, which stipulates that should a candidate die before the election, the nominations are declared null and void.[7] [8] After the general elections, president Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed on 22 September 2023 that the by-election would be held on 11 November 2023.[9]

Recall of CCC members

On 3 October 2023, Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed to be the interim Secretary-General of the Citizens Coalition for Change, recalled 15 members of the National Assembly (9 constituency MPs, 5 women's quota MPs and 1 youth quota MP), 9 senators and 17 councilors mainly from Bulawayo.[10] [11] [12] The CCC disputed Tshabangu's authority and the CCC president Nelson Chamisa wrote to National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda to disregard Tshabangu's letter.[13]

In spite of Chamisa's protests, Mudenda wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declaring the seats vacant, while the Local Government minister Winston Chitando notified the city councils about the vacant council seats.[14] [15] On 20 October 2023, president Mnangagwa proclaimed 9 December 2023 as the date for the by-elections.[16] The Harare High Court rejected the expelled CCC MPs' appeal to be reinstated on 4 November 2023.[17] On 7 November 2023, the Nomination Court sat to receive papers from candidates for the by-elections.[18]

The CCC had been hit hard by double candidacy during the August general election, as Sengezo Tshabangu’s camp fielded its own set of candidates using the same party name.[19] [20]

On 7 November 2023, a further letter was sent to the Speaker of Parliament and the President of the Senate by Tshabangu. In this letter, he recalled a further six constituency MPs and 6 Women's Quota MPs, as well as five Senators.[21] Their seats were declared vacant by the Speaker and President respectively on 14 November 2023. On the same day, the High Court ruled that any further recalls could not be acted upon by Parliament until legal challenges had completed. The Speaker, however, determined that the seats had been vacated when the letter was written - i.e. 7 November - and so remained vacant in spite of the Court order on 14 November. [22] President Mnangagwa declared the date for the by-elections of these six constituencies to be 3 February 2024.

Political violence

In November 2023, Citizens Coalition for Change activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya was kidnapped and murdered while campaigning.[23] This was just a fortnight after CCC lawmaker Takudzwa Ngadziore was reportedly abducted and tortured.

High Court challenges

At the Nomination Court proceedings, the recalled MPs submitted an application to stand in the by-elections as CCC candidates. While their applications were accepted, meaning that in some constituencies there would be two CCC candidates competing against each other, Tshabangu submitted an application to the High Court to bar the recalled MPs from standing as CCC candidates. On 7 December, just two days before the by-election, the High Court issued an order which barred the recalled MPs from standing as candidates, and further stated that their names should not appear on ballot papers.[24]

Chamisa resignation

Chamisa withdrew from CCC ahead of by-election on 3rd of February 2024.[25] Fadzayi Mahere and other withdrew from Parliament in solidarity with Nelson Chamisa, prompting a by-election in their respective constituencies.

Results

9 December 2023

ConstituencyProvinceReason for vacancyResults
Beitbridge WestMatebeleland SouthRecall of incumbent legislator Morgan Ncube
Binga NorthMatebeleland NorthRecall of incumbent legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda
Bulawayo SouthBulawayoRecall of incumbent legislator Nicola Jane Watson
Cowdray ParkBulawayoRecall of incumbent legislator Pashor Raphael Sibanda
Lobengula-MagwegweBulawayoRecall of incumbent legislator Ereck Gono
Lupane EastMatebeleland SouthRecall of incumbent legislator Bright Vanya Moyo
Mabvuku-TafaraHarareRecall of incumbent legislator Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi
Recall of incumbent legislator Desmond Makaza
NketaBulawayoRecall of incumbent legislator Obert Manduna

3 February 2024

ConstituencyProvinceReason for vacancyResults
SekeMashonaland EastRecall of incumbent legislator Willard Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto
Goromonzi SouthMashonaland EastRecall of incumbent legislator Stephen Chagwiza
Pelandaba–TshabalalaBulawayoRecall of incumbent legislator Gift Siziba
Chegutu WestMashonaland WestRecall of incumbent legislator Admore Chivero
Zvimba EastMashonaland WestRecall of incumbent legislator Oliver Mutasa
Mkoba NorthMidlands ProvinceRecall of incumbent legislator Amos Chibaya

27 April 2024

ConstituencyProvinceReason for vacancyResults
Harare EastHarareResignation of incumbent legislator Rusty Markham
Mount PleasantHarareResignation of incumbent legislator Fadzayi Mahere

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TrtAfrica . Zimbabwe sets by-election date after MPs' ouster - TRT Afrika . 2023-11-04 . Zimbabwe sets by-election date after MPs' ouster . en.
  2. Web site: 2023-11-04 . Zimbabwe court rejects opposition MPs appeal for lost seats - eNCA . 2023-11-04 . www.enca.com . en.
  3. Web site: CCC Approaches Courts To Reverse MP Recalls . 2023-11-05 . www.thezimbabwean.co.
  4. Web site: Zimbabwe's Opposition CCC Recalls Matabeleland MPs . 2023-11-04 . www.voaafrica.com.
  5. Web site: Mhuruyengwe . Ngoni . 2023-10-19 . Factsheet: What about the recall of Chamisa's CCC MPs? . 2023-11-05 . ZimFact . en-US.
  6. Web site: Mangwaya . Harriet Chikandiwa and Mirriam . Chaos as CCC MPs defy Parly recall . 2023-11-05 . NewsDay.
  7. Web site: ZEC stops Gutu West election after death of retired soldier candidate – Nehanda Radio . 2023-11-05 . nehandaradio.com.
  8. Web site: Anna . 2023-06-30 . Independent Gutu West MP candidate Christopher Mutonhori has died . 2023-11-05 . Gambakwe Media . en-US.
  9. Web site: Gutu West by-election date set . 2023-11-08 . The Herald . en.
  10. Web site: 2023-10-10 . Zimbabwe: Opposition CCC's woes mount as 15 MPs recalled . 2023-11-05 . APAnews - African Press Agency . en-US.
  11. Web site: Tshabangu threatens to recall more CCC MPs . 2023-11-05 . Community Podium News . en-US.
  12. Web site: Mangwaya . Harriet Chikandiwa and Mirriam . Chaos as CCC MPs defy Parly recall . 2023-11-05 . NewsDay.
  13. News: 2023-10-10 . Zimbabwe MPs lose seats because of fake letter . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-11-08.
  14. Web site: 2023-10-09 . CCC in turmoil as Parliament acknowledges recalls by Secretary-General, notifies ZEC of 15 vacancies . 2023-11-08 . The Zimbabwe Mail . en-GB.
  15. Web site: Dube. Vusumuzi. 2023-10-19 . Minister Chitando notifies BCC of CCC recalls…as Councillors meet to elect acting deputy mayor . 2023-11-08 . The Sunday News . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Ndebele . Lenin . December by-elections in Zimbabwe as the main opposition disappears . 2023-11-08 . News24 . en-US.
  17. Web site: Zimbabwe High Court rejects opposition MPs' bid for reinstatement ahead of by-elections-Xinhua . 2023-11-05 . english.news.cn.
  18. Web site: Nomination Court sits today . 2023-11-08 . The Herald . en.
  19. Web site: Chronicle Zimbabwe . 2023-11-08 . CCC splits as double candidates situation worsens . 2023-11-08 . Chronicles Zimbabwe.
  20. Web site: ZimSitRep_M . 2023-11-07 . CCC's internal divisions lead to double candidacies in by-elections . 2023-11-08 . Zimbabwe Situation . en-US.
  21. Web site: CCC recalls 13 more MPs, 5 Senators . Machivenyika . Farirai . 2023-11-14 . The Herald . 2023-11-15 .
  22. Web site: CCC recalls stand . Machivenyika . Farirai . 2023-11-15 . The Herald . 2023-11-15 .
  23. News: 2023-11-14 . Abducted Zimbabwe opposition activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya found dead . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-11-15 . 0261-3077.
  24. News: 2023-12-08 . Court bars 22 recalled CCC legislators from polls . en-ZW . The Herald . 2023-12-08 .
  25. Web site: 2024-01-25 . Zimbabwe opposition leader quits 'contaminated' party . 2024-01-26 . BBC News . en-GB.