By A Correspondent-Zanu PF Women’s League secretary Mabel Chinomona has scored a major political victory in Manicaland after her ally, Dorothy Mabika, decisively won the provincial Women’s League chair in a rerun election held in Mutare on Sunday.

Mabika defeated Mercy Sacco—backed by Zanu PF legal affairs secretary Patrick Chinamasa, party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, and Women’s Affairs Minister Monica Mutsvangwa—by 23 votes to 16.

The result, which confirms Chinomona’s growing influence, delivers a crushing blow to the Mutsvangwa-Chinamasa faction, long dominant in the province.

This was the second loss for Sacco, who was earlier trounced by Mabika in April by a reported 29–1 margin—a result that was nullified after pressure from the Mutsvangwa camp led to a rerun.

Despite tighter oversight in Sunday’s vote, the outcome remained the same. A memo signed by Chinomona has since confirmed Mabika’s appointment, pending Politburo endorsement.

The back-to-back defeats have revealed the diminishing sway of the Mutsvangwas and Chinamasa, as their grip on provincial power continues to erode.

Tensions flared during a recent Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Mutare, where Mabika and Sacco both attempted to claim the chairperson’s seat, prompting public clashes that nearly turned physical.

Chinamasa tried to restore order, arguing that Sacco remained acting chair until the Politburo ruled.

However, Sunday’s results have rendered that point moot. With Chinomona’s endorsement and party machinery behind her, Mabika’s victory underscores a shifting power balance within Zanu PF.

As internal rifts spill into the open, the Manicaland fallout may signal deeper realignments ahead of the party’s next elective congress—leaving old power brokers like Chinamasa and the Mutsvangwas increasingly sidelined.