By Political Reporter-Moses Langa has emerged victorious in the ZANU PF primary election for the Insiza North constituency, defeating more than six other contenders in a tightly contested internal poll held on Saturday.
He now awaits formal confirmation when the Nomination Court sits on May 15.
In Gutu East, Zvarevashe Masvingise will stand as the ZANU PF candidate after winning the primaries conducted earlier on April 16.
The two seats fell vacant following the expulsion of Gutu East legislator Benjamin Ganyiwa for what party officials described as “disciplinary issues,” and the death of Insiza North MP Farai Taruvinga in March this year.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa formally declared the seats vacant following a notice from the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, under Proclamation 3 of 2025, as gazetted in Statutory Instrument 44A of 2025.
A Party Haunted by Internal Fissures
While Langa’s win appears straightforward on paper, it unfolds against a backdrop of deep-seated factionalism and bruising internal battles that have long defined ZANU PF’s political machinery. Internal primary elections within the ruling party are often marred by accusations of vote-rigging, candidate imposition, intimidation, and violence — factors that have left many losing candidates and grassroots supporters disgruntled over the years.
In recent months, infighting within ZANU PF has intensified, with rival factions allegedly aligned to either President Mnangagwa or his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, using primary contests as a proxy war to assert dominance. In some cases, candidates have accused provincial leaders of manipulating voters’ rolls, bussing in supporters, or using state security agents to influence outcomes.
Langa’s victory in Insiza North could therefore be as much about strategic alignment within party hierarchies as it is about grassroots popularity. Insiders say he enjoyed backing from powerful figures in Matabeleland South, giving him an edge over rivals who were seen as aligned with rival factions.
Elections Under a Cloud of Suspicion
The upcoming by-elections on June 28 will not only test ZANU PF’s internal unity but also its ability to win fairly — a question that has haunted Zimbabwean elections for decades.
ZANU PF has a long history of using state institutions, including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), traditional leaders, and security services, to tilt the playing field in its favour. Observers from both local and international missions have flagged repeated concerns over biased voter registration practices, lack of transparency in vote counting, and intimidation of opposition supporters — especially in rural constituencies like Insiza and Gutu.
In the controversial 2023 general elections, ZEC was accused of manipulating the delimitation process, delaying voting materials in opposition strongholds, and allowing a pro-ZANU PF group known as Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) to set up exit poll tables outside polling stations — a move widely condemned as voter intimidation.
With the nomination courts set to sit on May 15, all eyes will be on how ZEC conducts itself this time around, and whether the electoral environment allows for a genuinely competitive race. Opposition parties, including Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), are expected to field candidates in both constituencies, though the continued arrests and harassment of opposition leaders and activists suggest a tough road ahead.