MDC takes Harare and Chitungwiza

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has made a clean sweep in the Harare and Chitungwiza mayoral and council elections confirming its hegemony in the capital. In Harare, MDC candidate Elias Mudzuri polled 262 275 votes while the Zanu PF candidate, Amos Midzi, won 56 796. National Alliance for Good Governance candidate, Billet Magara, polled 3 467. The MDC picked up 44 of the 46 council seats in Harare. Two MDC candidates, Michael Laban and Dale Dore, were disqualified on the spurious grounds that they were not citizens. They have taken the matter up with their lawyers. In Chitungwiza Misheck Shoko of the MDC polled 47 340 votes to clinch the mayoral seat ahead of Joseph Macheka of Zanu PF who only got 16 953 votes.

The two candidates present at the Harare results announcement, the MDC's Mudzuri and NAGG's Magara had to wait for an hour before the announcement. Conspicuous by his absence was the Zanu PF candidate, Amos Midzi. Speaking soon after the announcement, Mudzuri said he was humbled by Harare's residents for elevating him to be their mayor. "I intend to work closely with the community in running the affairs of the city in a transparent manner and providing an efficient service. I also want to scrutinise the city's finances to ensure that the community is well-informed on how the finances are utilised," he said. There was a strong police presence at Harare's Town House during the announcement. (ZWNews / Zimbabwe Independent)