Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
Zanu-PF is rolling out a number of strategies to reclaim urban wards it lost in Matabeleland South Province during the July 2018 harmonised elections.
This was said by the provincial party chairman Cde Rabelani Choeni on Saturday during an interface with Zanu-PF supporters at Swereki Business Centre some 110km west of Beitbridge.
The meeting coincided with victory celebrations organised by Beitbridge West legislator Cde Ruth Maboyi.
Cde Choeni said the provincial leadership had a post-mortem of the last elections and was ready to address some of the issues which affected them in urban settlements.
He said though they had done well in National Assembly polls and got most of the votes in the Presidential elections, it was high time they regained ground in municipal votes.
“We have taken stock of the last harmonised elections where we had landslide victory in National Assembly and Presidential Elections. However, we need to address issues in urban settlements where we lost a few wards,” said Cde Choeni.
“In essence we have the medicine to cure the ailments. We know the issues and are going to address them and for us to succeed we need to work together from grassroots up to the national level.
“Starting this year, we are going to every corner of the province and whipping all our representatives in local authorities and parliament to deliver in line with the party’s manifesto.
“The Party President has made it clear that we must deliver in line with our different roles. We will also have a lot of feedback and consultation meetings from grassroots to the highest level in the party. It is critical that we roll out all our programmes with everyone on board with one vision.”
He continued; “It’s not that we don’t have people in those urban local authorities, we performed badly like Beitbridge. We just need to be constant in engaging the people.”
Cde Choeni said Zanu PF was still strong on the ground in Matabeleland South considering that they won 12 constituencies out of 13 in parliamentary elections.
He said in 2013 they had a clean sweep of everything that was on offer. “We need to consolidate what we have on the ground and build more support base.
“Generally we are strong on the ground, but like any other province we need to work extra hard and now is the time,” said Cde Choeni.
Speaking at the same gathering, Cde Maboyi said it was important for people to maintain peace and unity in the party structures.
She said the party supporters should embrace peace and avoid being vindictive to those who want to join the Zanu PF and previously belonged to other parties.
Online Reporter