Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party has claimed victory in a weekend by-election after the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) failed to field candidates for the local poll. ZANU-PF retained the Masvingo district parliamentary seat in southern Zimbabwe, which fell vacant after the death last month of 69-year-old Eddison Zvobgo, a founding member of ZANU-PF. The ruling party now holds 98 of 150 seats in parliament, two short of the two-thirds majority that would allow it to amend the constitution. It was the second by-election in a month to be boycotted by the MDC, in line with a decision the party took in September to suspend its participation in all elections until electoral reforms were made. Last month ZANU-PF won an unopposed seat in the Seke district.
| This is a bad move on the MDC's part, though I suppose it is easier on the candidates. When you leave the field before the game's over, you always lose. |
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