Three to contest Norton by-election including Temba Mliswa
By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
Temba Mliswa, a former Zanu PF provincial chairperson, will lock horns with two other candidates in the Norton by-election that will be held on 22 October.
Mliswa will contest as an independent against Zanu PF’s Tinashe Chindeza and David Choga from the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).
The three candidates successfully filed their nomination papers at the Chinhoyi Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The seat fell vacant when Zanu PF expelled former cabinet minister, Christopher Mutsvangwa, for alleged indiscipline and later recalled him from parliament.
Mutsvangwa, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) that has rebelled against President Robert Mugabe after decades of loyal service to him, was accused of denigrating the president’s wife, Grace.
He suffered the same fate as Mliswa who was expelled from Zanu PF for allegedly backing Joice Mujuru, now head of the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF).
He reportedly accused her of conflating national politics and family issues.
He was voted Norton MP in the 2013 parliamentary election.
The constitution provides for the holding of a by-election with 90 days of the seat falls vacant.
The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change that is led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T), has been boycotting elections since its congress in 2014, citing an unfair electoral field. Nehanda Radio
