‘Elections moment of truth’

Prosper Ndlovu
ZANU-PF goes into Wednesday’s harmonised elections on a rejuvenated footing after conducting successful campaign rallies countrywide with hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans rallying behind the revolutionary party, National Chairman, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said yesterday.In an interview from Harare, Cde Khaya Moyo, who leads the party’s National Elections Directorate (NED), said 31 July was a moment of truth for Zimbabweans to bury the MDC formations and shame the country’s detractors.

“31 July is beckoning,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.
“The moment of truth is upon us. Reality takes centre stage and illusions evaporate. The election campaign has been exciting for Zanu-PF and clearly depressing for other parties.  I must say long before the proclamation of the election date by President Robert Mugabe as per the ruling by the Constitutional Court, the Zanu-PF machinery was already in gear.

“We remain a thoroughly oiled machine. We are certainly poised for a great future guided by our party’s motto of unity, peace and development. Bhora Mugedhi/Ibhola Egedini.”

Bhora Mugedhi/Ibhola Egedini is the revolutionary party’s campaign slogan for Election 2013.  The slogan exhorts party members to work as a united front to ensure an overwhelming victory. It discourages divisions that characterised the party’s lethargic campaign leading to the 2008 harmonised elections in which it lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 28 years.

As a result of the divisions that rocked the revolutionary party ahead of the March 2008 polls, it had to win a presidential election run-off to retain the presidency.  President Mugabe beat MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai after he polled more than two million votes against his opponents’ 200 000.

Cde Khaya Moyo, who is vying for the Bulilima-Mangwe Senate seat, said the dissolution of the party’s district co-ordinating committees was a strategic move.

He recalled how the Zanu-PF ad-hoc committee appointed by President Mugabe in March 2013 visited all provinces to assess the party’s preparedness vis-à-vis harmonised elections well ahead of the proclamation of poll dates.

The committee comprised Cde Khaya Moyo as chairman, National Secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, National Commissar Cde Webster Shamu and National Secretary for State Security Dr Sydney Sekeramai.

Said Cde Khaya Moyo: “The outcome of this fact-finding mission proved invaluable as its recommendations placed the party on a new and rejuvenated footing. The road was clear now, clear to prepare the party’s primary elections once proclamation for the election date was made,” he said.

“The NED, of which I chair, was put in motion and there was no looking back. The provincial election directorates (PEDs) were also put in place and ready for action.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said the Zanu-PF primary elections, which were held at short notice because of the closeness of the nomination date, went extremely well in all provinces.

“This demonstrated the maturity of the party’s leadership at all levels. Credit goes to the NED and the PEDs for leading from the front.
“The party’s well researched manifesto and indeed the regalia served by the First Family took other parties off-guard,” said Cde Khaya Moyo, who personally addressed 20 well subscribed rallies in Bulilima, Mangwe, Plumtree, Insiza, Umzingwane and Matobo.

“Zanu-PF demonstrated its capacity to lead. It proved indeed that the party has won with its policies and programmes, which are people centred, hence its manifesto’s theme, ‘Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment.’”

Cde Khaya Moyo said the massive star rallies addressed by President Mugabe across the country are testimony to the invincibility of the revolutionary party.

He said other massive rallies that Vice-President Joice Mujuru, himself (Cde Khaya Moyo), Politburo and Central Committee members addressed, placed Zanu-PF in a good position for a thunderous victory on Wednesday.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the peace and tranquility that is prevailing across the country has shamed the country’s detractors who were anticipating violence so as to discredit the election, which Zanu-PF is poised to win.

He said the NED would issue another statement after the announcement of the much-anticipated election results.