By Staff Reporter

AN independent candidate in Murewa South, Noah Mangondo, has taken Zanu PF rival Joel Biggie Matiza to the Electoral Court challenging the latter’s narrow win in the constituency in last month’s election.

Matiza, a former Cabinet minister and the current Zanu PF Mashonaland East chairperson garnered 10,808 votes against Mangondo’s 10,653 votes.

However, Mangondo has filed a petition at the Electoral Court challenging the results and wants the declaration by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that Matiza was the winner set aside.

In his application, which was filed this week by Gift Mtisi from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Mangondo claims that the election of Matiza was a result of corruption.

Mangondo further claims Matiza and his campaign agents used illegal and intimidatory practices to secure the victory.

These electoral malpractices by Matiza affected the result of the election in a material way to the extent that the difference was marginal, Mangondo claims in his court papers.

Matiza is yet to file his response.

Mangondo is a former Zanu PF official who was expelled recently from the party after defying orders not to challenge Matiza in party’s primary elections held last April.

He went on to contest as an independent candidate.

During the election campaigns, Zanu PF also took him to the High Court seeking an order to bar him from using Zanu PF logos and symbols during his campaign. The order was granted.

A number of parliamentary candidates have filed petitions at the Electoral Court challenging results in their constituencies.

Among them is Gift Konjana of the MDC Alliance who is challenging Dexter Nduna of Zanu PF in Chegutu West.

Elsewhere Blessed Chebundo, also of the MDC Alliance, is challenging Masango Matambanadzo of the National Patriotic Front (NPF) in Kwekwe Central.