After all, these parties weeded out of Zanu-PF seem to have nothing new to offer besides mimicking the ideological principles of Zanu-PF so as to position their agenda within the broader framework of permanent national interests.

political losers.

Using her war credentials Mujuru has spread the myth of being a fair alternative to the nationalism championed by Zanu-PF in the process, she has misled many to think they can be revisionists of the Chimurenga legacy which neatly entrenched in the history of Zanu-PF. Surely how can a legacy so gigantic be given away to a revolutionary imposter ejected from the revolutionary body politic?

Moreover, there is the G40 which withered out of Zanu-PF and is now reconfiguring itself as the New Patriotic Front. This is a vote that cannot be lost considering the work that G40 had done to steal away the youth demographic dividend to its side.

Among these potential voters are those that were won through the interface rallies using resources of the party. The synthetic consciousness created during the interface rallies now being manipulated to sustain interests of the NPF must be restored back to Zanu-PF.

Zanu-PF must reach out to this lot in all our rural areas and awaken them to the reality of continuity that has been ushered into the party courtesy of its legacy and self-restoration. Massive cell to cell, ward to ward, village to village and people to people advances in the interest of ideological recourse must be done to give the revolutionary party its rightful victory landing in 2018.

Restoring the legacy together It is the NPF’s democratic right to unrepentantly single out its agenda from Zanu-PF. However, flirting with the legacy of Robert Mugabe for narrow expedience is only selfish and does not represent what the former President dedicated his life for in the liberation struggle.

This is atrocious to the legacy of Robert Mugabe which has been afforded recognition certainly need to be won back to the path of progress for the good of the party through a revolutionary reprimand.

What binds this crop of cadres to Robert Mugabe is not necessarily fascination about his person in general, but these are drawn to affection for Mugabe due to his service to nationalism. This sect of Mugabe followers has maintained a constant admiration of his link to the nationalism of old. Their love for Mugabe is affixed to his commitment to panAfricanism, his principles of anti-imperial Global-South self-determination.

Others also drew their love for Mugabe from the land reform and how he was an unwavering champion of Black economic empowerment — even though in some instances his traction in this regard is problematised.

This group of voters must be awakened to the reality that even after Mugabe is gone his values which remain endeared in their hearts can be found in an institution that precast Mugabe to be a heroic figure that he is now. Zanu-PF must ensure that this group takes part in the voting process and is not discouraged by Mugabe’s absence in the 2018 race.

After all, he was never going to live forever even if change had not been allowed to prevail. Therefore, their ballot homage to the memory of Mugabe’s exploits under the banner of Zanu-PF must be directed towards Zanu-PF — not NPF falsely claiming to be fighting on the side of retired Gabriel.

As a result, there is need to situate these values attributed to Robert Mugabe within an inherent organisational context. This is because Mugabe’s political ideas are expressly embodied in the party’s ideological culture.

This reality must be used to affect the idea of perpetual succession and that individuals come and go but ideas live with institutions.