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THE ruling party Zanu-PF continues to sharpen its campaign strategies as it positions itself for a landslide victory in the forthcoming 2023 harmonised elections.
As the nation awaits the pronouncement of poll dates, the revolutionary party is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to lure the masses to consolidate its emphatic win.
Preliminary projections already indicate the party is poised to thrash the opposition parties given the transformative development programmes being championed under the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa.
As part of poll preparation exercises, Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces held meetings over the weekend to scale up their campaign momentum.
In Bulawayo candidates who sailed through the recent primary elections met the people as part of galvanising party unity with the leadership directing losing and winning candidates to close ranks and rally behind the party to ensure it wins the targeted five million votes for President Mnangagwa.
In Bulawayo, Politburo member and Nketa constituency senatorial candidate Cde Elifasi Mashaba said party members who lost should continue being loyal and campaign hard for the party.
“Be with us or be without us, it’s that simple,” said Cde Mashaba. “As you are aware that the party undertook primary elections where in some areas had to do reruns. However, Bulawayo is not affected. We have held marathon meetings, as mandated by the Politburo that all provinces should do what we call healing process meetings where winning, and losing candidates are brought together so that from these meetings we move together as one,” said Cde Mashaba.
He said the party was using the meetings to instil unity, discipline and telling them that the First Secretary, President Mnangagwa is saying no to violence, adding that peace and tolerance must start within the party.
“The message we are carrying as the leadership is for people to unite, we are saying unity, unity and unity. Losing candidates must make sure that they rally behind the winning party candidates and also solidify and consolidate the five million votes for His Excellency, the President,” said Cde Mashaba.
Zanu-PF Bulawayo province secretary general Cde Raymond Mtomba said it was of utmost importance that candidates unite and pledge support for each other to ensure a resounding win for the party and President Mnangagwa.
During the primary elections, Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube retained her position and is among Zanu-PF’s candidate list in the women’s quota.
Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, was unopposed in the Cowdray Park constituency as well as Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister, Raj Modi who went in unopposed in the Bulawayo South.
Tendai Charuka emerged as Zanu-PF’s MP candidate for Bulawayo Central, Cde Nkosana Mkandla for Bulawayo North, Cde Brian Samuriwo, Emakhandeni-Luveve, Cde Linda Chinamano Entumbane-Njube, Cde Butholezwe Ndlovu, Lobengula Magwegwe, Cde Admire Masikati Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Cde Tavengwa Zidya Nketa, Cde Freedom Murechu Nkulumane, Cde Cecilia Verenga Pelandaba-Tshabalala.
In the women’s quota list, Eulysses Noedza will represent the party in Bulawayo North, Mollina Dube in Bulawayo South, Rejoice Sibanda in Emakhandeni-Luveve, Tambudzayi Chinyeye in Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Sibongile Sibanda in Nketa, while Cde Phumulani Nsingo will represent the party in Pumula with Cde Caroline Sibanda going unopposed in the same constituency under the women’s quota.
For the Senate, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, Cde Mashaba, Alderman David Ndlovu, Cde Mlungisi Moyo sailed through for Bulawayo South, Nketa, Pelandaba-Tshabalala and Bulawayo Central respectively.
Other Senate candidates in Bulawayo are Cde Ntombikayise Ndlovu for the Lobengula-Magwegwe seat, Cde Annah Moyo for Emakhandeni-Luveve, Cde Fidela Maphosa in Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Cde Esneth Moyo for Nkulumane, Cde Isaiah Charles Chiponda in Bulawayo North and Cde Shadreck Mhlaba for Cowdray Park.
On Saturday the party held meetings in Luveve-Emakhandeni constituency, Pumula constituency, Magwegwe constituency, Nkulumane constituency, Makokoba and yesterday three meetings were held in Bulawayo South, Nketa and Bulawayo Central constituencies.
In Bulawayo South, all the candidates, Rtd Col Dube, Cde Modi, women’s quota candidate Cde Sibongile Sibanda, ward five council candidate and Bulawayo province party spokesperson Cde Archie Chiponda, as well as ward seven candidate Cde Dingani Ndlovu were introduced to the people.
In Matabeleland North the party, working with its MenBelievedED affiliate and winning candidates organised a sports gala where five soccer and an equal number of netball teams participated in Lupinyu, near Victoria Falls Airport.
Later in the evening there was a musical show where Chief Hwenje, a musician who sings Zanu-PF contemporary revolutionary songs performed.
The show ended around 2am with hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters and ordinary people from Victoria Falls and surrounding Monde, Ndlovu and Matetsi areas in attendance.
Zanu-PF chairman for Matabeleland North Cde Richard Moyo said while President Mnangagwa is yet to officially declare the campaign period, candidates were busy strategising on the ground.
“That was organised by candidates and as a party such events help us unite people and mobilise support for the party we are heading towards elections,” he said.
MenBeliveED Matabeleland North chair Cde Allan Twalumba said the event was organised to mobilise votes for President Mnangagwa and to appeal to new members and new voters.
“This is a strong mobilisation strategy also meant to unify communities as young voters are being reminded on five million votes plus for President Mnangagwa,” he said.
Meanwhile, the party successfully conducted primary elections re-run in Victoria Falls, Hwange Rural District Council and Umguza.
Online Reporter