2023–2024 Zimbabwean by-elections

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. 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.

2023 Zimbabwean by-elections

11 November 2023 (2023-11-11) 9 December 2023 (2023-12-09)
10 out of the 280 seats in the National Assembly
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Emmerson Mnangagwa Nelson Chamisa Party ZANU–PF CCC ZAPU Last election 176 seats, 56.11% 103 seats, 41.58% 0 seats, 0% Seats after 184 seats 78 seats 0 seats Seat change 8 25   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Lovemore Madhuku Harry Peter Wilson Party NCA DOP Last election 0 seats, 0% 0 seats, 0% Seats after 0 seats 0 seats Seat change

2024 Zimbabwean by-elections

3 February 2024 (2024-02-03) 27 April 2024 (2024-04-27)
8 out of the 280 seats in the National Assembly
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Emmerson Mnangagwa Unknown Party ZANU–PF CCC ZAPU Last election 184 seats 78 seats 0 seats Seats after 192 seats 78 seats 0 seats Seat change 8   Fourth party Fifth party   Party NCA DOP Last election 0 seats 0 seats Seats after 0 seats 0 seats Seat change

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. After the general elections, president Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed on 22 September 2023 that the by-election would be held on 11 November 2023.

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. The CCC disputed Tshabangu's authority and the CCC president Nelson Chamisa wrote to National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda to disregard Tshabangu's letter.

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. On 20 October 2023, president Mnangagwa proclaimed 9 December 2023 as the date for the by-elections. The Harare High Court rejected the expelled CCC MPs' appeal to be reinstated on 4 November 2023. On 7 November 2023, the Nomination Court sat to receive papers from candidates for the by-elections.

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.

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. 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. 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. 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.

Chamisa resignation

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

Results

11 November 2023

Constituency	Province	Reason for vacancy	Results
Gutu West	Masvingo	Death of competing candidate during August general election	Candidate Party Votes % +/– John Paradza ZANU-PF 12,147 79.30 +1.3 Martin Sebastine Mudzingwa Independent 1,775 11.59 New Ephraem Morudu CCC 1,258 8.21 New Robson Kurwa NCA 138 0.90 New Total 15,318 100.00 – Valid votes 15,318 99.15 +1.22 Invalid/blank votes 132 0.85 -1.22 Total votes 15,450 100.00 – Registered voters/turnout 60.2 -24.8 Majority 10,372 67.77 +6.30 ZANU-PF hold

9 December 2023

Constituency	Province	Reason for vacancy	Results
Beitbridge West	Matebeleland South	Recall of incumbent legislator Morgan Ncube	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Thusani Ndou ZANU-PF 4,929 88.81 +42.62 Blessing Brendan Dube Independent 366 6.59 New Thoriso Moyo ZAPU 255 4.59 New Morgan Ncube CCC 0 0.00 Barred Blessing Choeni CCC 0 0.00 Withdrew Total 5,550 100.00 – Valid votes 5,550 94.76 Invalid/blank votes 307 5.24 Total votes 5,857 100.00 Majority 4,563 82.22 +81.62 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Binga North	Matebeleland North	Recall of incumbent legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Chineke Muchimba ZANU-PF 9,862 90.77 +33.42 Judith Sibanda CCC 1,003 9.23 -47.28 Prince Dubeko Sibanda CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 10,865 100.00 – Valid votes 10,865 93.35 Invalid/blank votes 774 6.65 Total votes 11,639 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 34,132 34.10 Majority 8,859 81.54 +66.02 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Bulawayo South	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Nicola Jane Watson	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Rajeshkumari Modi ZANU-PF 1,608 58.73 +32.64 James Sithole CCC 1,130 41.27 -31.53 Nicola Jane Watson CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 2,738 100.00 – Majority 478 17.46 -29.25 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Cowdray Park	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Pashor Raphael Sibanda	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Aurther Mujeyi ZANU-PF 1,765 53.08 +9.44 Vusumuzi Chirwa CCC 1,560 46.92 -9.44 Pashor Raphael Sibanda CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 3,325 100.00 – Valid votes 3,325 85.32 Invalid/blank votes 572 14.68 Total votes 3,897 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 27,638 14.10 Majority 205 6.17 -6.55 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Lobengula-Magwegwe	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Ereck Gono	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Tendayi Chitura Nyathi CCC 1,648 55.56 -15.14 Menziwa Dube ZANU-PF 1,318 44.44 +27.66 Ereck Gono CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 2,966 100.00 – Valid votes 2,966 86.65 Invalid/blank votes 457 13.35 Total votes 3,423 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 25,544 13.40 Majority 330 11.12 -42.81 CCC hold
Lupane East	Matebeleland South	Recall of incumbent legislator Bright Vanya Moyo	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Phathisiwe Machangu ZANU-PF 6,863 79.68 +34.35 David Nyathi CCC 1,750 20.32 -26.77 Bright Vanya Moyo CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 8,613 100.00 – Majority 5,113 59.36 +57.65 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Mabvuku-Tafara	Harare	Recall of incumbent legislator Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi	2023 Mabvuku-Tafara by-election Party Candidate Votes % ±% ZANU–PF Pedzai Sakupwanya Unopposed Total votes — 100.0 ZANU–PF gain from CCC
Mpopoma-Mzilikazi	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Desmond Makaza	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Charles Moyo CCC 1,632 47.58 -26.91 Dzingai Kamamba ZANU-PF 1,097 31.98 +15.21 Pardon Tapfumaneyi Independent 654 19.07 +15.14 Blessings Sibanda DOP 47 1.37 +1 Desmond Makaza CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 3,430 100.00 – Valid votes 3,430 86.86 Invalid/blank votes 519 13.14 Total votes 3,949 100.00 Registered voters/turnout – Majority 535 15.6 -42.12 CCC hold
Nketa	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Obert Manduna	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Albert Tawanda Mavunga ZANU-PF 1,550 49.90 +32.32 Ambrose Sibindi CCC 1,439 46.33 -26.61 Luckmore Gwetu DOP 117 3.77 New Obert Manduna CCC 0 0.00 Barred Total 3,106 100.00 – Valid votes 3,106 90.55 Invalid/blank votes 324 9.45 Total votes 3,430 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 24,020 14.28 Majority 111 3.57 -51.79 ZANU-PF gain from CCC

3 February 2024

Constituency	Province	Reason for vacancy	Results
Seke	Mashonaland East	Recall of incumbent legislator Willard Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Munyaradzi Tobias Kashambe ZANU-PF 8,586 73.66 +25.46 Willard Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto Independent 2,401 20.60 New Everisto Chisi CCC 669 5.74 -45.16 Total 11,656 100.00 – Valid votes 11,656 97.38 Invalid/blank votes 313 2.62 Total votes 11,969 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 39,659 30.18 Majority 6,185 53.06 +50.32 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Goromonzi South	Mashonaland East	Recall of incumbent legislator Stephen Chagwiza	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Washington Zhanda ZANU-PF 6,865 86.55 +38.92 Reuben Chikudo CCC 1,067 13.45 37.65 Total 7,932 100.00 – Valid votes 7,932 95.55 Invalid/blank votes 369 4.45 Total votes 8,301 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 45,862 18.10 Majority 5,798 73.1 +22 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Pelandaba–Tshabalala	Bulawayo	Recall of incumbent legislator Gift Siziba	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Joseph Tshuma ZANU-PF 1,845 74.85 +53.22 Moreblessing Tembo CCC 464 18.82 -28.78 Yona Abraham Nkomo DOP 156 6.33 +5.10 Total 2,465 100.00 – Valid votes 2,465 92.08 Invalid/blank votes 212 7.92 Total votes 2,677 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 22,822 11.73 Majority 1,381 56.02 +8.42 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Chegutu West	Mashonaland West	Recall of incumbent legislator Admore Chivero	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Shakemore Wellington Timburwa ZANU-PF 6,697 67.03 +24.39 Admore Chivero Independent 2,626 26.28 New Gift Machoka Koniana CCC 668 6.69 -45.89 Total 9,991 100.00 – Majority 4,071 40.75 +30.82 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Zvimba East	Mashonaland West	Recall of incumbent legislator Oliver Mutasa	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Kudakwashe Mananzva ZANU-PF 10,359 78.44 +28.75 Oliver Mutasa Independent 1,992 15.08 New Agrippa Alberito CCC 855 6.47 -43.84 Total 13,206 100.00 – Valid votes 13,206 98.05 Invalid/blank votes 262 1.95 Total votes 13,468 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 42,620 31.6 Majority 8,367 63.36 +62.74 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Mkoba North	Midlands Province	Recall of incumbent legislator Amos Chibaya	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Edgar Ncube ZANU-PF 2,415 59.22 +31.52 Patrick Tayiya DOP 1,663 40.78 New Total 4,078 100.00 – Valid votes 4,078 95.66 Invalid/blank votes 185 4.34 Total votes 4,263 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 30,320 14.06 Majority 752 18.44 -24.75 ZANU-PF gain from CCC

27 April 2024

Constituency	Province	Reason for vacancy	Results
Harare East	Harare	Resignation of incumbent legislator Rusty Markham	Candidate Party Votes % +/– Kiven Mutimbanyoka ZANU-PF 3,533 64.15 +33.02 Ropafadzo Cynthia Cheza Independent 1,974 35.85 New Total 5,507 100.00 – Valid votes 5,507 99.08 Invalid/blank votes 51 0.92 Total votes 5,558 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 36,566 15.20 Majority 1,559 35.68 +2.92 ZANU-PF gain from CCC
Mount Pleasant	Harare	Resignation of incumbent legislator Fadzayi Mahere	Candidate Party Votes % +/– George Mashavave ZANU-PF 3,205 73.34 +43.57 Nason Mamuse Independent 945 21.62 New Brian Ticky Independent 220 5.03 New Total 4,370 100.00 – Valid votes 4,370 95.50 Invalid/blank votes 206 4.50 Total votes 4,576 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 39,448 11.60 Majority 2,260 51.72 +32.32 ZANU-PF gain from CCC