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Isdore Guvamombe
NO one needs to be told that ZANU PF is winning the August 23 harmonised elections resoundingly; you only need to follow Zimbabwe’s campaign trail to see the clear writing on the wall in bold letters.
The writing is on the wall, clear and bold: ZANU PF is indomitable. It is a political phenomenon, leaving no one, nothing and no place behind!
Riding of a rich plinth of several deliverables like road infrastructure development, a multifarious array of resuscitated irrigation schemes, a rejuvenated health service delivery system, modernisation of airports and air traffic control systems, improved power supply, numerous devolution fund projects, among others, ZANU PF has done far too well not to get voters’ recognition.
For this particular election, it is no longer that ZANU PF, it is The ZANU PF, with an engine firing full throttle of all cylinders. This year’s campaign trail has shocked many, including the perpetual detractors of the ruling party in Western Europe and beyond.
Indeed, the opposition has been left clutching at straws; the opposition that, for some time, has been overrating itself, has been left trailing a long distance behind, counting losses and wondering what hit them.
The opposition has been put in its right place.
The campaign trail has so far, separated boys from men. If there is anything ZANU PF has shown ahead of the August 23 harmonised elections, it is the pedigree to organise itself and show its clear intention to win, resoundingly.
Like or hate ZANU PF, it is unstoppable and it has deployed itself in a very systematic way, too difficult for the opposition to match.
While opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is non-strategically ambiguous in his approach and runs his CCC party like his household property, ZANU PF has used its rejuvenated structures to bring in refreshing vigour, unity of purpose and direction. Structures don’t lie.
It is a trite but true observation that ZANU PF is taking these elections seriously and from the beginning of the preparations, the ruling party’s footprints speak of superb organisation.
From Chipinge, to Magunje then Zaka, the crowds have sent shock waves in the already cracking walls of the opposition and its handlers abroad.
The rally in Zaka in particular, bamboozled the opposition CCC and it explains why, they went to the point of calculators for some mathematics.
The gathering in Zaka was a rare spectacle that made political parties throughout the world green with envy.
All the theories about Zanu PF having bused people from outside Masvingo are a product of shock. They are shocked how the party has become so oiled and efficient. Zanu PF is firing form all cylinders.
The good thing about the ZANU PF is that it is not pretentious. After regenerating itself with leadership renewal in 2018, it quickly re-arranged and re-organised itself into a formidable force. ZANU PF as also been able to re-kit and re-tool with resources to ensure victory.
Like a cyclone, the ZANU PF campaign has swept across the country and it reached fever pitch with an unprecedented crowd at Star Rally in Zaka, Masvingo last week. That was death knell for the opposition CCC.
Suffice to say the Zaka star rally of an estimated 124 000 people, by drone count, juxtaposed with a CCC launch star rally of 15 000 people in Gweru. Numbers don’t lie. Facts are stubborn.
On that wintry Sunday, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa and his supporters started knowing their real position in Zimbabwe’s political jungle.
The ZANU PF machinery is too strong for him.
Since the Zaka rally, theories abound. It is understandable.
The rally was a big uppercut blow that dazzled the opposition, sending them to the political canvass.
Those who understand boxing know how an uppercut hurts. It is that blow you don’t see coming and it takes you off your mind and off your feet. It leaves for legs wobbly.
CCC teaser bulls and social media warriors were taken off their keyboards in awe and shock, as the ZANU PF Zaka phenomenon unfolded before cameras.
In the aftermath, social media was agog with bush mathematicians and prophets of doom who showed lack of knowledge of ZANU PF’s organisational strength and depth of character.
The Zaka rally was a game changer.
Since 2018 ZANU PF has done a lot of reworking on itself.
The revamping of cell structures, branches and the re-introduction of the District Co-ordinating Committees (DCCs) has brought new depth and impetus to the ruling party.
Everything is in order in the party.
Then the pedestal of running an election without violence has meant that the opposition which survives as cry-babies of the US and its allies, have nothing to report to their masters.
President Mnangagwa has vehemently denounced violence and wants a clean election much to the chagrin of the opposition which is frantically looking for something to blame the ruling party for.
The 2023 election is smoothly playing out to be violence free and yet the opposition would have loved to use violence as a scapegoat to rubbish the elections as not free and fair.
When the story of the August 2023 election is finally told and written in the books of Zimbabwe’s political history, ZANU PF’s organisational strength and depth of character will occupy a very special place.
The opposition, especially Nelson Chamisa will have learnt free but hard lessons on ow not to run a political party like your personal tuckshop.
Chamisa will have learnt that nothing beats structured things.
He will have learnt that strategic ambiguity is nothing but w wordy expression of the abstract, which does not win and election. ZANU PF is indomitable!
Online Reporter