Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka
Zimpapers Politics Hub
AS the curtain fell on 2025 yesterday, it is undeniable that the Zimbabwean political landscape underwent a profound and irreversible transformation over the past 365 days.
What was once described by political pundits as a “polarised” nation has increasingly become a monolithic sea of green, gold, and red, black and white, as symbolised by the dominance of one political outfit, Zanu PF.
The revolutionary party, under the astute and visionary leadership of its First Secretary, President Mnangagwa, has not only consolidated its traditional strongholds, but has aggressively reclaimed the urban spaces, effectively dismantling the last vestiges of opposition relevance.
The year 2025 will be remembered as the year the “urban fortress” finally crumbled.
This was punctuated by the seismic victories in parliamentary by-elections in urban areas such as Nkulumane and Glen View South, as well as the resounding success of the 22nd Annual National People’s Conference.
These events are not isolated but are the fruition of a deliberate, people-centred strategy anchored on the Second Republic’s mantra of “leaving no one and no place behind.”
The victory of Cde Freedom Murechu in the Nkulumane by-election on December 20, 2025, is a significant indicator of this shifting tide.
For over two decades, Bulawayo was considered the “unshakable stronghold” of the opposition.
However, the result in Nkulumane has shattered this myth.
This victory follows a pattern of urban success for Zanu PF, seen earlier in the year with breakthroughs in Cowdray Park, Nketa and Pelandaba-Tshabalala.
In Harare, Zanu PF also dominated elections, winning the Glen South parliamentary seat after Cde Tsitsi Tawomhera’s by-election victory in April.
The ruling party also attained victories in local authority elections in Epworth and Chinhoyi, both former opposition strongholds.
The momentum generated on the ground was perfectly mirrored in the high-octane atmosphere of the 22nd Annual National People’s Conference. Running under the theme, “Attainment of Vision 2030 through Economic Empowerment and Value Addition,” the convention was a huge success.
Held in Mutare, the conference served as the strategic engine room for the party’s continued dominance.
Resolutions passed in Mutare, most notably the unanimous call for the President to continue steering the ship of state, demonstrated a party that is united, disciplined and focused.
The conference wasn’t merely a political gathering; it was a showcase of innovation and technocracy, with institutions like the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) displaying cutting-edge solutions for national industrialisation.
This synergy between political will and scientific innovation is what is driving the Zimbabwe of 2025 toward its upper-middle-income status.
Parallel to its electoral wins, Zanu PF has executed the most successful recruitment drive in the history of independent Zimbabwe.
The “Huyai Kumusha / Buyanini Ekhaya / Come Home” campaign has become a national phenomenon.
To date, a breathtaking 437 000 defectors from various opposition outfits have officially registered as members of the revolutionary party.
These are not just numbers, but realities that represent a total loss of faith in the opposition’s ability to govern.
From former high-ranking officials to the grassroots “vanguard” of the opposition, the consensus is clear: Zanu PF is the only party with a functional developmental programme.
The “Homecoming” campaign has successfully messaged that Zanu PF is a big tent, welcoming back those who were once led astray by foreign-sponsored agendas.
The primary reason for this “unstoppable” momentum is the Second Republic’s decision to replace political sloganeering with steel, cement and water.
In Nkulumane, the campaign was not built on vacuous promises but on tangible hardware that changed lives.
As the opposition-led Bulawayo City Council failed to provide basic water services, leaving residents stranded, the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme stepped in as a decisive intervention.
The installation of solar-powered boreholes provided immediate relief to thousands of residents, proving that the Government prioritises the dignity and health of urban dwellers over partisan bickering.
This commitment to infrastructure extended to the restoration of power through the rapid replacement of blown and aging transformers across the constituency.
For years, many urban communities had been abandoned in the dark due to neglect, but the Second Republic’s swift action literally brought light back to these neighbourhoods.
This restoration of electricity did more than just illuminate homes, but revitalised local businesses and improved community security, further tilting the political scales in favour of the ruling party.
Furthermore, the broader agenda of urban renewal has fundamentally altered the physical and social fabric of the constituency.
Through road rehabilitation under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) and targeted empowerment initiatives for vendors, kombi drivers and the youth, the Government has demonstrated that “urban” does not inherently mean “opposition territory.”
By addressing the lived realities of city residents, Zanu PF has shown that its developmental blueprint is universal, effectively dismantling the geographical silos that once defined Zimbabwean politics.
As we look toward 2028, the political map of Zimbabwe is being rewritten.
The “Opposition Fortress” has not just crumbled, but is being paved over with roads, hospitals and schools.
The victory in Nkulumane, Glen View South and urban local authorities, plus the success of the 22nd Annual People’s Conference, are the pillars of a Zanu PF that has rediscovered its urban soul.
Under the guidance of His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, the party has proved that development is the most persuasive political language of all.
As the opposition remains in a state of terminal disintegration, Zanu PF stands alone as the monolithic force of progress.
The momentum is no longer just significant, but unstoppable.
