ZESN Report on the 31 July 2013 Harmonised Elections presidential candidates and 871 candidates for the National Assembly elections had successfully filed their nomination papers.35 In the period leading up to the nomination of candidates the major parties held primary elections, but these were characterised by contestation, intimidation and violence. In ZANU-PF there were accusations of rigging, vote buying and even imposition of candidates in primary elections. In the MDC-T there were complaints about imposition of candidates, especially in Manicaland province. As a result of imposed candidates, there were double candidatures on the same party ticket in 34 constituencies,36although 24 of these candidates later withdrew their candidature.37Some aggrieved candidates filed papers as independent candidates, such as Jonathan Samkange of ZANU-PF, who contested as an independent in Mudzi constituency. The MDC-T failed to address its double candidature in Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency in Manicaland province. Even though the party threatened to expel one of its members, Arnold Tsunga, over the issue, he later went on to win the election in the constituency. In Bikita West constituency, ZANU-PF expelled Munyaradzi Kereke for standing against the official party candidate. The problems that bedevilled party primary elections were a signal of the lack of intra-party democracy, an issue that needs to be addressed before future elections. Below are the results of the Nomination Courts: Presidential elections Table: 6 Candidate Dumiso Dabengwa Robert Mugabe Kisinoti Mukwazhe Welshman Ncube Morgan Tsvangirai Political party ZAPU ZANU-PF Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP) MDC MDC-T The political parties listed below contested the National Assembly Elections: 35 ‘871 candidates to contest the harmonised elections’. http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo32786.html available at <http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-32786.html> 36 ‘Zanu-PF, MDC sweat over rebels’ – The Independent Newspaper 19 July 2013. 37 ‘Available at <‘24 Aspirants revoke candidature’ http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86937:polls-24-aspirants-revokecandidature&catid=37:top-stories&Itemid=130#.UfGqfo3I2So> 37 | P a g e