ZANU-PF wins by-election

In a landslide victory Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF has won a by-election in the central constituency of Gutu North. ZANU-PF candidate Josiah Tungamirai took 20,699 votes against 7,291 for Crispa Musoni of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the two-day poll. The seat fell vacant after the death of vice-president Simon Muzenda in September 2003. Gutu North is seen as an important constituency, mainly because it is located in Masvingo, the province with the largest electorate. The poll was not without controversy - the MDC claimed vote rigging, and European Union observers said they had been denied entry to some of the voting locations. However, Zimbabwe's Election Support Network (ZESN), a coalition of 38 independent civic groupings, observed the voting and said that "a generally calm atmosphere marked polling days". ZESN noted one incident of violence on Monday, the first day of the election, at Jaravaza Primary school where ZANU-PF supporters beat up an MDC supporter. It also expressed concern over apparent vote-buying after a ZANU-PF local councillor was seen distributing maize. The coalition acknowledged that a group of European Union and Norwegian diplomats were prevented from entering some polling stations but said the delay was only "temporary". Recent by-elections in Zimbabwe have been marred by allegations of intimidation. Meanwhile, the MDC received the go-ahead from the High Court to launch its economic recovery plan on Thursday in the city of Gweru, in Midlands province. The local police officer commanding Gweru urban station had said on Wednesday the party's programme could not be launched because there was insufficient manpower to provide security, according to the MDC. "Once again authorities have tried to obstruct us from accessing the people. But, fortunately, we received permission from the High Court and we will go ahead with the launch. We can hope that the local authorities are made aware that this will be a legal meeting," MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi told IRIN. Last week the government banned the unveiling of the MDC economic rescue package dubbed, "Restart" (Reconstruction, Stabilisation, Recovery and Transformation), in the capital, Harare. But the High Court overturned the ban and went ahead. The MDC says its plan would haul Zimbabwe out of its present economic crisis which has seen inflation reach spectacular heights and shortages of basic commodities become a regular occurence.