ZANU PF appears to be going for broke ahead of the 2023 general elections and has reportedly targeted civil servants, including members of the security forces to support President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election bid.
While the Constitution stipulates that security service
members must be apolitical, NewsDay is reliably informed that Zanu PF has deployed
its officials to rural police and prison camps to sell party membership cards
to officers.
This has riled some officials, who said they were being
forced to buy the membership cards.
The ruling party has reportedly formed yet another
grouping, Civil Servants TrustED which is drawing its membership from the civil
service including soldiers, police officers and prison officers.
It recently launched Teachers for Economic Development (ED)
and Health Ambassadors for ED.
“Selling and buying membership cards is currently underway
at this station (name withheld),” said a senior police officer, whose name
cannot be revealed to protect him from possible victimisation.
In an interview with NewsDay, secretary-general of the
Civil Servants TrustED, Duku Chigumira said they were targeting all civil
servants including soldiers and police.
“Ours is an umbrella body that seeks to incorporate the
rest of the civil servants who are not represented,” Chigumira said.
“We are drawing our membership from Agritex workers,
police, soldiers, prison officers and all those who work in government
departments. We are supporting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030.
“We are government workers and the highest-ranking civil
servant is the President, so we have to support him. We have launched Civil
Servants TrustED in eight provinces save for two Matabeleland provinces where
we have had communication problems.”
Documents seen by NewsDay show that Zanu PF has been
hosting the Civil Servants TrustED meetings in some provinces.
In a letter dated October 18, 2022, addressed to the ZRP
Officer Commanding Mutare, Chogumira requested permission to launch the
organisation in the province at a ceremony to be held at the Zanu PF offices.
“We are writing to your good office on behalf of civil
servants TrustED.
“The Civil Servants TrustED is a new organisation that
seeks to mobilise civil servants from various departments to support the vision
of the President (Vision 2030). At this stage, we now want to set up our
provincial executive.”
Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
said he had not received reports of police officers being ordered to buy Zanu
PF membership cards.
“That issue of police alleging that they are being forced
to put on Zanu PF regalia or buy membership cards has not been brought to the
office of the commissioner-general. However, we will carry out investigations
on the matter,” Nyathi said.
On Civil Servants TrustED seeking police membership, Nyathi
said: “Police's major role is to maintain law and order and promote peace in
the country.
“However, all organisations that seek or claim to work with
the police should do so with the knowledge of the command office. Such
organisations should notify the commissioner-general first.”
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said: “Civil
servants cannot be party members, but can be affiliates.” Newsday
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