300 Cowdray Park opposition members join Zanu-PF

Bruce Ndlovu and Robin Muchetu, Sunday News Reporters
MORE than 300 members from various opposition parties in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park, mainly from the MDC- Alliance yesterday crossed over to Zanu-PF during a meeting where they were formally introduced to the party’s provincial leadership.

Massive defections have hit the MDC-Alliance in recent times, with veteran leaders and the party’s rank and file expressing dissatisfaction with the party’s leadership and direction. During yesterday’s meeting, defectors from MDC-Alliance were also joined by some members from the Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA). Speaking during the meeting, Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province interim chairperson Cde Obert Msindo said Zanu-PF was a broad tent that welcomes everyone.

“Zanu-PF can never be filled-up. Everyone who wants to join can fit into this party. We have a school in this party, which is the Chitepo School of Ideology, and that is where we teach people the ways of the party. That is the same thing that will be done to the new arrivals in our organisation.

A lot of things are happening right now and for those in Cowdray Park, I am sure that you know that the water problems that we have been crying about will soon be a thing of the past. This is all due to the work that has been done by President Mnangagwa on projects like the Nyamandlovu Aquifer. In Zanu-PF we don’t just give you things but we give you space to create your own opportunities,” he said.

The party’s interim provincial Secretary for Administration Cde Raymond Mtomba said those joining Zanu-PF were returning home. The meeting was graced by Chitepo School of Ideology chairperson Cde Munyaradzi Machacha who said more opposition members were set to be welcomed to the ruling party.

“We heard that there are some cadres from Cowdray Park that want to cross over and we went to President Mnangagwa and asked for regalia. This will not be the end. We heard that there are other opposition members in places like Tshabalala that also wanted to cross over so this programme will be ongoing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the recently elected members of the Zanu-PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) completed a basic orientation course in Bulawayo yesterday.

“This is so that they know their leadership roles, the party ideology, constituting duties and responsibilities. We also aimed at familiarising them with the political and international environment under which they will be operating. We have been emphasising in these trainings, the need to co-ordinate economic development projects, we have also been emphasising that they work in conjunction with local government authorities in their jurisdiction so that together they can initiate projects that will bring in revenue to households,” said Cde Machacha.