Online Reporter
Isdore Guvamombe
Reflections
This instalment is not fiction. It is not a script for an African movie, neither is it mere village hyperbole.
About three decades ago, we were in Masvingo and there was a Zanu PF election for the provincial chairmanship.
Due West of Masvingo town is the sprawling Mucheke Suburb and on its verge is Mucheke Stadium.
The stadium, was — and still is — the town’s celebrated home of gatherings from sport to church, social, politics and little everything else.
That time the pre-cast concrete wall’s distinct weather-beaten grey panels were the major security feature while huge old gumtrees superimposed and dwarfed everything.
On the lush-green gumtree tops were an assortment of birdlife, from the black-naked crow to various other species that gave a colourful plumage and with them came the chirping and singing.
Here, the stadium is a worthy benevolent mistress, given the hosting and subsequent stories of a multifarious array of events that have taken place there.
But here, the grey walls have not only seen a lot and kept secrets and remained silent. Mum!
The ruling Zanu PF party used to hold its major events there, from provincial elections to an array of celebrations.
This particular wintry morning, the town of Masvingo was agog, with the campaign and the elections were in the stadium.
There was a bet between the two contestants, and for the purposes of this instalment, this villager, the son of a peasant, withdraws the name for, one of the contestants is alive while another is now deceased (MHSRIP).
In short, the elections were that time viewed in David and Goliath mantra and campaign had reached fever pitch. One was a senior Government official while another was a simple party card-carrying member.
Soon we gathered on the lush greenery of Mucheke Stadium’s lawn and soon the election started.
The voting method was by standing behind the person the voter wanted. The system was aptly named Bereka Mwana, loosely translated to “strap the baby on the back.”
Contestant number one was so sure of his win, stuck his walking stick on the ground and hung his jacket, from an old faded butcher boy suit. He immediately left for the nearby bar and waited for the result among sips of the frothy one.
Contestant number two, was serious and a senior official and took no joke about it. He pensively stood side by side with the jacket.
The voters were asked to stand behind their favourite candidate. Boy-oh-boy! The line behind the jacket snaked half the stadium length, while contestant number two looked back and saw a handful of voters behind him.
The people had spoken. Contestant number one, had to be called for the result from his comfort.
Several years later, there was another election featuring a provincial governor and a little-known primary school teacher from Chivi.
This time, the party had moved with the times and adopted secret ballot. The venue, was Mucheke Hall, for, this was a Central Committee member slot. Very few people would vote, hence there was no need for a big venue.
The first nomination was the governor. Allow this villager to call him Contestant Number One. When seconders were called out, there was lifting of hands, legs and little everything else for contestant him. Ullullation too! My mind told me the deal was sealed. It was unanimous.
Only one person nominated Contestant Number Two and only one person seconded him. The poor school teacher, waited studiously as voting and counting proceeded.
The results were a shocker. Contestant Number one (one vote), Contestant Number Two (59 votes). Whitewash.
The full input of this installment dear reader is that never under estimated Zanu PF. It has changed with the times. Zanu PF has become complicated, sophisticated and technologically advanced.
Zanu PF has remained relevant to the body politik of Zimbabwe because it listens to the people, it follows world trends and moves with the time.
Many people like talking about Zanu PF, but do not understand where it came from with the people; do not understand what unites the party.
Zanu PF has always been with the people and has taken its time to fulfil its mandate to serve the people of Zimbabwe.
Like or hate Zanu PF, the party has structured and restructured itself, its actions and thought process to serve the people of Zimbabwe, through various people-centric projects such as land reform, indigenisation, women empowerment, youth empowerment, national food security, mining and literally everything.
As the party gathers in Mutare for its annual people’s conference, advancing the cause of the people of Zimbabwe is taking centre stage.
Also taking the centre stage is taking the country ahead in line with international trends in every sphere.
It took a brave Zanu PF to undertake the land reform. It took a brave Zanu PF Government to wither the sanctions storm, created by US and its allies in EU, that was so heavy. No other political party has done that in Africa and survived. No other political party has gone through what Zanu PF has gone through.
Since the land reform, US and EU have tried to manipulate election after election against Zanu PF but the revolutionary party has stood firm.
If you look at the history of the party from the liberation struggle to today, it speaks of a political party that has remained with its core liberation values and has changed with the times to advance and protect those values.
The party has orgnisational superiority. The party is thorough in dealing with issues and the party is resolute in understanding issues that advance the needs of the people of Zimbabwe.
Zanu PF has come a very long way.
