Tsvangirai candidates sweep Bulawayo

Tsvangirai candidates sweep Bulawayo

• MDC pre-empts ZEC, claims victory

• Voting ends, opposition predicts victory

• African observers allege fraud in Zim poll

• Bomb explodes at Zanu PF candidate's home

• Mugabe votes, says will accept defeat

• Large queues as voting gets underway

• Zimbabweans go to the polls

• Zimbabwe election facts

• Man escapes jail for 'axing' Mugabe poster

• Gugulethu Moyo: All to play for

• Langton Towungana: one who dared

• Presidential poll winner needs 51 percent - ZEC

By Lindie Whiz

A FACTION of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Arthur Mutambara appeared on the verge of ceding control of the second largest city of Bulawayo to a rival faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai, according to a New Zimbabwe.com projection from early election returns Sunday.

Only David Coltart (former Bulawayo South MP) appeared set to be returned to parliament as a senator for Khumalo, with most heavyweights such as Professor Welshman Ncube and Gibson Sibanda down. Counting in the 12 Bulawayo parliamentary constituencies and six senate seats was expected to be concluded by breakfast Sunday.

The MDC-Mutambara’s losses, however, appeared to be mitigated by projected wins in rural Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South – notably Tsholotsho North, Bulima, Gwanda North, Gwanda Central and Binga.

But Ncube and Sibanda’s loss will devastate the camp in a shock turn-around from what was generally predicted before voting began Saturday.

Tendai Biti, secretary general of the Tsvangirai faction of the MDC declared victory in the early hours of Sunday in a national ballot which saw Zimbabweans queue to cast their ballots in local government, senatorial, parliamentary and presidential elections.

Officials results are expected through-out the day Sunday.

A senior official in the Mutambara faction, conceding defeat, said: “We have been wiped out. We are all speechless, stunned.”

The MDC split into two factions in October 2005, with Ncube and Sibanda leading a break-away which took half the MDC’s parliamentary party. Efforts to unite the two factions have failed.

Ncube, in particular, staked his political career on this election by moving from his previous constituency, Bulawayo North, to challenge Khupe in Makokoba. Khupe is Tsvangirai's deputy.
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