ZANU-PF has taken an early lead in the 2018 harmonised elections set for 30 July after some of the party’s candidates successfully submitted nomination papers unopposed.

Four Zanu-PF council candidates in Matabeleland South filed their papers unopposed after opposition parties failed to field any candidates. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) Matabeleland South provincial election officer Rabson Nyoni said the four will, according to the Electoral Act, with effect from 30 July be declared duly elected councillors.

Sibongile Chauke was unopposed in the Beitbridge Rural District Council Ward 13, while in Matobo North constituency Tobias Sibanda, Thomas Ncube and Paul Ncube sailed through unopposed in wards 22, 23 and 24.

“It means with effect from 30 July they will be duly elected councillors, according to the law. For now they remain just candidates,” said Mr Nyoni.

The developments come after reports in the same province indicated that Zanu-PF’s main challenger in the forthcoming elections, according to surveys, MDC Alliance failed to field a National Assembly candidate for the Insiza North National Assembly Constituency when the Nomination Court sat on Thursday last week.

In an interview Zanu-PF aspiring candidate for the constituency Farai Taruvinga said he was confident that the party will win the seat, after MDC Alliance failed to field a candidate.

“We have already begun meeting our obligations as a party. It is all evident in our work, the people are happy and thus we are confident they will make the right choice when the time to vote comes. They (MDC) fumbled a lot and couldn’t field a candidate. Their factionalism fights show that they are not united and this is why they even failed to have a candidate contesting. Even in their presence I know and I felt no threat, as I know that the people of our constituency will rally behind us. Now is the time to work and rebuild our country, together we can, divided we fall,” he said.