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Budiriro by-election - first test for voters since opposition split
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
May 22, 2006

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news220506/budiriro220506.htm

There has been much confusion surrounding the existence of 2 opposition factions with the same name ever since the MDC split last year. Each faction claimed they were the only MDC and each leader the real president of the MDC. The Budiriro by-election was the first major test of voters’ allegiance and many are using the results as a measure of which opposition faction is legitimate. Emmanuel Chisvuvure of the winning Tsvangirai MDC received 7,949 votes. Gabriel Chaibva of the Mutambara MDC received 504 votes and ZANU-PF got 3,961.

The winning Tsvangirai MDC released a statement which said in part: "The Budiriro sentiment is indeed the national sentiment. They also want change in Chivi, in Tsholotsho, in Murehwa, in Tamandayi and in Chipinge. The people are tired of tyranny. Budiriro represents the national struggle for a new dispensation and a new beginning."

We asked Morgan Changamire, spokesman for the Mutambara MDC which lost the election, what the results say about voters’ allegiance. He congratulated the winning party, but said this is a marathon.

Changamire explained that mass behaviour is not static. He said opinion is dynamic like water on a smooth surface and could flow in any direction. As for national sentiment, Changamire said: "We are not worried. When the split happened we did not go with the structures. We are in the process of building structures."

Election officials turned away voters who were using their drivers license as identification. This was a last minute change and the only thing that marred an otherwise peaceful day of voting in Budiriro. Earlier in the week Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede was accused of stuffing the voters’ roll with the names of Zanu (PF) activists. There were also accusations that thugs sponsored by the ruling party had blocked opposition campaigners going door-to-door in the constituency.

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