Mash West guns for clean sweep in 2018

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Zanu-PF is gunning for a clean sweep of seats in Mashonaland West Province in the 2018 harmonised elections, through the restructuring exercise under way, provincial chairman Cde Ephraim Chengeta has said.

The ruling party lost only Chinhoyi constituency to the opposition in the 2013 elections. It went on to lose the Norton constituency in a by-election to independent candidate Mr Temba Mliswa last year.

Cde Chengeta said the restructuring exercise was progressing well.

“We have done almost 80 percent of our cells in the majority of constituencies in the province,” he said. “The process is laying a foundation for consolidation of the seats we got in 2013 and also targeting to ensure that we reclaim those we lost.”

Cde Chengeta said the restructuring of branches will be complete by beginning of April as provinces were given up to the end of March to complete the restructuring of party cells and branches.

He said the provincial leadership was conducting verification of the cells to weed out non-existent cells and branches, which did not translate into votes come elections.

“Some constituencies such as Chinhoyi and Norton need strengthening because we lost them to the opposition,” said Cde Chengeta. “The team was in Kariba at the weekend and we are moving across the province.” The restructuring exercise is being undertaken throughout the country as Zanu-PF gears for the 2018 harmonised elections.