Sunday 31 October 2021

ZANU PF SWEATS OVER CHAMISA

Zanu PF is worried about inroads being made by the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa into its ‘strongholds’ in rural areas and is sweating over new strategies to counter the country’s  main opposition party, a new document by the ruling party reveals.

According to the Zanu PF central committee report by the security department adopted at the just-ended 19th national people’s conference held in Bindura, the ruling party sees the MDC Alliance making inroads in rural areas.

“The opposition is encouraging its members to go to rural areas and form polling centre-based structures similar to [the] Zanu PF Dandemutande strategy,” reads part of the report.

“This is meant to penetrate the ruling party’s rural areas, they will manage to mobilise substantial support from the rural areas, and this will brighten their chances of winning the presidential vote.

“That being the case, it is prudent for Zanu PF to defend its political space by ensuring that it rejuvenates its rural structures and maintains regular interactive programmes with its members.”

Chamisa has in recent weeks been touring largely rural provinces such as  Masvingo, Manicaland and  Mashonaland West where he has been attracting huge crowds at unscheduled stop-overs.

Apparently confused, Zanu PF officials reacted by organising their supporters to try and violently stop the MDC Alliance’s programmes.

In the same report, the ruling party’s administration department led by Obert Mpofu, bemoaned indiscipline that has accompanied attempts to set up new structures.

“Party cadreship should remain disciplined and true to the values of our revolution,” the report says.

“Vices relating to imposition of candidates, financial leveraging outcome, and unbridled violent tendencies are anathema to the party.

“Stringent disciplinary regimes and penalties will be effected for errant cadres, who transgress and bring the party into disrepute.”

In the run-up to the conference, Zanu PF was forced to abandon provincial elections after violence flared among structures.

The violence was linked to warring factions that are said to be linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

It also emerged from the report that Zanu PF is concerned that Mnangagwa’s Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) is not being taken seriously as shown by continued calls for genuine dialogue.

“The other narrative was that of ‘legitimacy crisis’ whose focus was for the ruling party Zanu PF to engage a particular opposition party in order to reach an agreement that would see the conception of a ‘transitional government’ to take over from Zanu PF government until 2023 harmonised elections,” the report added.

“This is despite the fact that Zanu PF government is working with other opposition parties under Polad.”

MDC Alliance dismisses Polad as a platform for Mnangagwa’s sympathisers.

The ruling party also accused Zanu PF land barons of causing the dwindling of party support base in Harare.

Concern was raised that land barons were tarnishing the party’s image in urban areas.

“Land barons have gone scot-free and this has disheartened the electorate to a greater extent, moreso, as some of the majority land barons are alleged to be members of the party,” the document reads.

“There is need to address the issue of land barons so that justice is seen to be done.”

Mnangagwa is expected to once again tussle it out with Chamisa in the presidential elections in 2023 after his narrow victory in 2018, which was disputed by the opposition.

Zanu PF says it is targeting five million votes, while the MDC Alliance has set a six-million target. Standard

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