adminTendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF’S clean sweep in 16 constituencies in by-elections held on Wednesday, is a morale booster for the revolutionary party as it reclaimed urban constituencies previously controlled by MDC-T, analysts have said.
They said the victory was a precursor of what was likely to happen in 2018 when the country goes to the polls.
Zanu-PF bagged all the 16 seats in an election, where more than five political parties and several independent candidates participated.
Harare-based analyst Mr Godwine Mureriwa said the victory was good news for Zanu-PF.
“From the momentum of 2013, Zanu-PF’s support has been growing exponentially and this victory is a morale booster for the party,” he said.
“These results are a reflection of what is likely to happen in 2018 and people should take them seriously.”
Mr Mureriwa said the polls also posted as an instructive warning to the so-called People First project fronted by sacked Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru that Zanu-PF was the only party with overwhelming support in the country.
“I think even the so-called People First have gauged the temperature in the political kitchen that Zanu-PF under the leadership of President Mugabe is the only popular party in the country,” he said.
Political analyst and University of Zimbabwe lecturer Dr Eldred Masunungure, said Zanu-PF’s victory was predictable.
He said although the victory was marginal in some constituencies, it enabled Zanu-PF to mobilise its support base in various parts of the country.
Dr Masunungure said the election in general was a lesson to those who boycot polls that they lost a golden opportunity to keep connected with their supporters.
“It is not just a question of winning but mobilising as well, and Zanu-PF used that opportunity to keep the fire burning,” he said.
“This is like a mid-term test that Zanu-PF win marginally, but it is a lesson for boycotters that they lost an opportunity to keep connected to the electorate.”
Dr Masungure, however, said the Zanu-PF candidates especially in urban constituencies should not get too excited as they had a lot of groundwork to do ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.
Online Reporter