# 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.

## 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 | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–John ParadzaZANU-PF12,14779.30+1.3Martin Sebastine MudzingwaIndependent1,77511.59NewEphraem MoruduCCC1,2588.21NewRobson KurwaNCA1380.90NewTotal15,318100.00–Valid votes15,31899.15+1.22Invalid/blank votes1320.85-1.22Total votes15,450100.00–Registered voters/turnout60.2-24.8Majority10,37267.77+6.30ZANU-PF hold |

### 9 December 2023

| Constituency | Province | Reason for vacancy | Results |
| Beitbridge West | Matebeleland South | Recall of incumbent legislator Morgan Ncube | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Thusani NdouZANU-PF4,92988.81+42.62Blessing Brendan DubeIndependent3666.59NewThoriso MoyoZAPU2554.59NewMorgan NcubeCCC00.00BarredBlessing ChoeniCCC00.00WithdrewTotal5,550100.00–Valid votes5,55094.76Invalid/blank votes3075.24Total votes5,857100.00Majority4,56382.22+81.62ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Binga North | Matebeleland North | Recall of incumbent legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Chineke MuchimbaZANU-PF9,86290.77+33.42Judith SibandaCCC1,0039.23-47.28Prince Dubeko SibandaCCC00.00BarredTotal10,865100.00–Valid votes10,86593.35Invalid/blank votes7746.65Total votes11,639100.00Registered voters/turnout34,13234.10Majority8,85981.54+66.02ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Bulawayo South | Bulawayo | Recall of incumbent legislator Nicola Jane Watson | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Rajeshkumari ModiZANU-PF1,60858.73+32.64James SitholeCCC1,13041.27-31.53Nicola Jane WatsonCCC00.00BarredTotal2,738100.00–Majority47817.46-29.25ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Cowdray Park | Bulawayo | Recall of incumbent legislator Pashor Raphael Sibanda | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Aurther MujeyiZANU-PF1,76553.08+9.44Vusumuzi ChirwaCCC1,56046.92-9.44Pashor Raphael SibandaCCC00.00BarredTotal3,325100.00–Valid votes3,32585.32Invalid/blank votes57214.68Total votes3,897100.00Registered voters/turnout27,63814.10Majority2056.17-6.55ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Lobengula-Magwegwe | Bulawayo | Recall of incumbent legislator Ereck Gono | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Tendayi Chitura NyathiCCC1,64855.56-15.14Menziwa DubeZANU-PF1,31844.44+27.66Ereck GonoCCC00.00BarredTotal2,966100.00–Valid votes2,96686.65Invalid/blank votes45713.35Total votes3,423100.00Registered voters/turnout25,54413.40Majority33011.12-42.81CCC hold |
| Lupane East | Matebeleland South | Recall of incumbent legislator Bright Vanya Moyo | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Phathisiwe MachanguZANU-PF6,86379.68+34.35David NyathiCCC1,75020.32-26.77Bright Vanya MoyoCCC00.00BarredTotal8,613100.00–Majority5,11359.36+57.65ZANU-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 | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Charles MoyoCCC1,63247.58-26.91Dzingai KamambaZANU-PF1,09731.98+15.21Pardon TapfumaneyiIndependent65419.07+15.14Blessings SibandaDOP471.37+1Desmond MakazaCCC00.00BarredTotal3,430100.00–Valid votes3,43086.86Invalid/blank votes51913.14Total votes3,949100.00Registered voters/turnout–Majority53515.6-42.12CCC hold |
| Nketa | Bulawayo | Recall of incumbent legislator Obert Manduna | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Albert Tawanda MavungaZANU-PF1,55049.90+32.32Ambrose SibindiCCC1,43946.33-26.61Luckmore GwetuDOP1173.77NewObert MandunaCCC00.00BarredTotal3,106100.00–Valid votes3,10690.55Invalid/blank votes3249.45Total votes3,430100.00Registered voters/turnout24,02014.28Majority1113.57-51.79ZANU-PF gain from CCC |

### 3 February 2024

| Constituency | Province | Reason for vacancy | Results |
| Seke | Mashonaland East | Recall of incumbent legislator Willard Tapfumanei Madzimbamuto | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Munyaradzi Tobias KashambeZANU-PF8,58673.66+25.46Willard Tapfumanei MadzimbamutoIndependent2,40120.60NewEveristo ChisiCCC6695.74-45.16Total11,656100.00–Valid votes11,65697.38Invalid/blank votes3132.62Total votes11,969100.00Registered voters/turnout39,65930.18Majority6,18553.06+50.32ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Goromonzi South | Mashonaland East | Recall of incumbent legislator Stephen Chagwiza | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Washington ZhandaZANU-PF6,86586.55+38.92Reuben ChikudoCCC1,06713.4537.65Total7,932100.00–Valid votes7,93295.55Invalid/blank votes3694.45Total votes8,301100.00Registered voters/turnout45,86218.10Majority5,79873.1+22ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Pelandaba–Tshabalala | Bulawayo | Recall of incumbent legislator Gift Siziba | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Joseph TshumaZANU-PF1,84574.85+53.22Moreblessing TemboCCC46418.82-28.78Yona Abraham NkomoDOP1566.33+5.10Total2,465100.00–Valid votes2,46592.08Invalid/blank votes2127.92Total votes2,677100.00Registered voters/turnout22,82211.73Majority1,38156.02+8.42ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Chegutu West | Mashonaland West | Recall of incumbent legislator Admore Chivero | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Shakemore Wellington TimburwaZANU-PF6,69767.03+24.39Admore ChiveroIndependent2,62626.28NewGift Machoka KonianaCCC6686.69-45.89Total9,991100.00–Majority4,07140.75+30.82ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Zvimba East | Mashonaland West | Recall of incumbent legislator Oliver Mutasa | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Kudakwashe MananzvaZANU-PF10,35978.44+28.75Oliver MutasaIndependent1,99215.08NewAgrippa AlberitoCCC8556.47-43.84Total13,206100.00–Valid votes13,20698.05Invalid/blank votes2621.95Total votes13,468100.00Registered voters/turnout42,62031.6Majority8,36763.36+62.74ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Mkoba North | Midlands Province | Recall of incumbent legislator Amos Chibaya | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Edgar NcubeZANU-PF2,41559.22+31.52Patrick TayiyaDOP1,66340.78NewTotal4,078100.00–Valid votes4,07895.66Invalid/blank votes1854.34Total votes4,263100.00Registered voters/turnout30,32014.06Majority75218.44-24.75ZANU-PF gain from CCC |

### 27 April 2024

| Constituency | Province | Reason for vacancy | Results |
| Harare East | Harare | Resignation of incumbent legislator Rusty Markham | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–Kiven MutimbanyokaZANU-PF3,53364.15+33.02Ropafadzo Cynthia ChezaIndependent1,97435.85NewTotal5,507100.00–Valid votes5,50799.08Invalid/blank votes510.92Total votes5,558100.00Registered voters/turnout36,56615.20Majority1,55935.68+2.92ZANU-PF gain from CCC |
| Mount Pleasant | Harare | Resignation of incumbent legislator Fadzayi Mahere | CandidatePartyVotes%+/–George MashavaveZANU-PF3,20573.34+43.57Nason MamuseIndependent94521.62NewBrian TickyIndependent2205.03NewTotal4,370100.00–Valid votes4,37095.50Invalid/blank votes2064.50Total votes4,576100.00Registered voters/turnout39,44811.60Majority2,26051.72+32.32ZANU-PF gain from CCC |