High turnout for Zanu-PF verification process
ZANU- PF has recorded a high turnout in its membership audit and verification exercise that started in Harare province at the weekend, an official has said.
The revolutionary party’s political commissar for Harare province, Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, said the high turnout for the verification programme was attributed to people’s realisation that MDC-T had nothing to offer.
The initiative was part of the revolutionary party’s restructuring exercise aimed at assessing the state of the party ahead of next year’s general elections.
Zanu- PF’s Harare province kicked off t he massive programme, with other provinces expected to follow soon.
“All the districts that we have covered are 90 percent complete,” said Cde Mashayamombe. “We are excited about the high turnout of people at our meetings.
“Clearly, this means Zanu-PF will win the majority of constituencies in Harare province, which has previously been touted as an MDC-T stronghold.”
Cde Mashayamombe is also Harare South Member of Parliament. He said some of the areas covered in the exercise included Highfield, Tafara/ Mabvuku, Harare South, Epworth, Hatfield and some parts of Dzivaresekwa.
“There has been an increase in the number of cells,” said Cde Mashayamombe. “In most districts, the number of cells has actually doubled. Our districts are meeting the minimum standards.
“New areas like Caledonia have recorded the biggest number of people, and in some districts, we have registered people as high as 5 000, and the number of cells in those areas have actually trebled.”
Cde Mashayamombe said they expected the process to run until today and the days might be extended should need arise.
“We are also telling them that every person should attend meetings of their respective cells,” he said. “It does not matter whether one is in a branch, district, prov- ince or even Central Committee.
“There is need to periodically hold meetings whether at cell, branch or district level. We need to make a significant impact in the forthcoming general elections in Harare province. We are optimistic that we will secure significant constituencies in our fold as Zanu-PF.”
Roll out of the programme is a clear sign that the party is way ahead of its competitors, as there was infighting within the main opposition party, the MDC-T, over a possible coalition, while the Zimbabwe People First is smarting from a damaging split that saw its former leader Dr Joice Mujuru forming the National People’s Party.
Under Zanu-PF’s comprehensive restructuring programme, t he party constitutes cells, branches and districts, which form the grassroots of the party and feed into the provincial and national structures.
A cell comprises 50 members, with five cells making a branch, while five branches make up a district.