Zanu-PF meet to strategise on elections

ZANU-PF Bulawayo provincial leadership will today meet at Davies Hall to come up with strategies, which will help the party reclaim Parliamentary seats in the 2018 harmonised elections.

President Mugabe, speaking at the Zanu-PF Bulawayo Youth Interface Rally at White City Stadium on Saturday, challenged the Zanu-PF leadership in Bulawayo to up their game and work to reclaim the seats lost to the opposition MDC-T in the 2018 elections.

Zanu-PF chairman Cde Dennis Ndlovu said yesterday that next year’s elections were crucial for the party. “We are meeting tomorrow as the leadership to strategise on how best we can mobilise the people to vote for Zanu-PF in 2018. As a party we are open to advice as long as it is constructive. I will be in a position to give a detailed account after the meeting,” he said.

Cde Ndlovu said they did not want to go to the elections divided hence the party leadership met yesterday at Davies Hall to discuss the issue of factionalism, which is being fanned by some individuals in the province.

Zanu-PF has six out of 12 National Assembly seats in Bulawayo. Some of the seats previously belonged to the opposition and the ruling party reclaimed them during by-elections.

Zanu-PF legislator for Mpopoma-Pelandaba constituency, Cde Joseph Tshuma said the party was mobilising support through various income generating projects in the community.

“What we are doing as a party is mobilising support through various income generating projects that are aimed at empowering our people economically. For instance in my constituency we have come up with a mushroom growing project for women. We have vocational training centres where youths are taught technical skills so that they are able to survive since they are no jobs,” he said.

Cde Tshuma said the projects benefit everyone irrespective of their political affiliation.

“It is an inclusive approach. The positive things that we are doing in our communities will help boost our support,” he said.

President Mugabe said the party should reclaim all seats that are still under the opposition. He said Saturday’s Youth Interface Rally which attracted thousands of party supporters, resembled a reawakening of the party in a province generally regarded as a stronghold of the opposition.

President Mugabe said party leaders in the province should work towards reasserting the party’s dominance in Bulawayo.

“We shall not allow the opposition to take the lead. No! That is a pledge we must make. If it means staying awake organising the people and sleeping only three, four hours, let’s do so. Let’s do so in the interest of our city in the interest of our people,” he said.

President Mugabe said leaders in the province should take a cue from Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces.

The President also called on other provinces in Matabeleland region to work with Bulawayo in the party’s pursuit to re-establish its dominance in the metropolitan province. — @mashnets