Zanu-PF decision on Harare East must be lauded

Mukachana Hanyani
AS expected, the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF has shown the public that democracy is at play when the party boldly declared that the Harare East constituency will be represented by one candidate in the form of Cde Terence Mukupe who won primary elections that were held recently.

Such a bold decision from the Zanu-PF leadership put to rest some hullaballoo that was becoming the order of the day in the private media when it found space and time to blast the ruling party as losing direction and then disintegrating.

The private media was having fun when Zanu-PF had two candidates vying for Harare East constituency in the by-elections penciled for June 10. Everything was turned into a circus by the private media as they blasted Zanu-PF as a party that was losing direction.

The revolutionary party was not swayed by what was said by the private media as it quickly and swiftly let democracy take its course.

Prophets of doom and their followers, complimented by the private media, had perceptions and conclusions that Zanu-PF was disintegrating as both Cdes Mavis Gumbo and Terence Mukupe were taking turns to hold rallies in the same constituency calling for the electorate to vote for them the ruling party’s ticket.

The electorate, on the other hand, was confused and disturbed as they were not quite sure on whom to choose.

The media then took that as an opportunity to blast the party as losing direction alleging that the party was being run on factional lines reminiscent of what was happening before the dismissal of former Vice-President, Dr Joice Mujuru and her cabal from the party and government.

The private media went further to claim that Zanu-PF was now disintegrating as there were some other groups within the party that were creating factions.

It was further reported that there was the so-called Group of 40(G40) which was in support of Terence Mukupe with “the old guard” in support of Mavis Gumbo.

All such allegations by the media were just speculation meant to set an agenda for public discussion. In actual fact the candidature of Cdes Terence Mukupe and Mavis Gumbo was not something special which the media tried to use as way of blasting the ruling party as disintegrating and confused.

So the decision by Zanu-PF to come up with one candidate for the Harare East Constituency in the by-election earmarked for June 10 should be applauded by any rightful thinking person.

People should welcome this move as so it is good for the party and the electorate as people would not be confused on who to vote for. In actual fact the decision came at a right time as there is still time for Cdes Mukupe and Gumbo to join hands and fight together for the party and win back the seat that was in the hands of the MDC-T.

Zanu-PF has taken this bold decision after realising that in any situation people need to be guided by democracy. So the fact that Cde Terence Mukupe won primary elections was enough reason to accept people`s voices.

It was a bold decision which put to rest what the media was awash with that claimed Zanu-PF was being run on partisan and factional lines. So such a decision was good as the electorate were given the right direction.

In actual fact before such a decision was made by the Zanu-PF leadership, the private media had already claimed that there was a G40 which was running the show against the old guard in the party and such a claim turned out to be the media`s imagination. In fact the ruling party showed the private media and its followers that it can take its own decision without fear or favour for any particular individuals.

That decision by Zanu-PF to let Cde Mukupe represent the party at a time when the odds seemed to be in favour of Cde Mavis Gumbo is a clear indication that Zanu-PF is for democracy.

The fact that the primary elections, which were held some few weeks ago for the party to have a sole candidate for Harare East, were won by Cde Mukupe was enough for the Zanu-PF leadership to make the right decision. In actual fact it was going to be the dearth of democracy within the party had the Zanu-PF leadership went on to declare Cde Mavis Gumbo as the party`s candidate for the constituency when she had failed to win the primary elections.

Surprisingly, the same media which was blasting Zanu-PF as disintegrating when Cde Terence Mukupe and Mavis Gumbo were fighting to represent the ruling party in the same constituency, is now again up in arms against Zanu-PF`s decision to have one candidate there.