No to imposition of candidates: Rugeje
ZANU-PF will not allow the imposition of candidates in primary elections and transparency will prevail in provincial polls, the ruling party’s national political commissar Retired Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje has said.
The country goes for elections in five months.
In an interview, Lt-Gen Rugeje said the new dispensation had taken a new trajectory in politics and wanted fairness, transparency and democracy in the forthcoming provincial elections and the subsequent primary elections.
He said there was need for people to choose leaders independently and wisely ahead of the elections.
“Next month on the 28th, we are going to have our district elections,” said Lt-Gen Rugeje. “These will be followed by the provincial elections. As the President has mentioned that the elections will be held soon this year, we are also going to hold our primary elections.
“We want to ensure that there is no imposition of candidates in the provincial elections and primary elections as was the case with our predecessors. ZANU-PF is a democratic party and leaders are chosen by the people.
“However, we want the same people to choose their leaders wisely because we would want candidates that will represent the people, not their own personal interests. People should be careful when it comes to election of their parliamentary and council representatives.”
Lt-Gen Rugeje said every member of the party was eligible to contest for any position.
“There are reports that were recently attributed to me that I said members of Parliament should be 45 years or below if they are not experts or technocrats,” he said. “They are false. We do not discriminate people based on their age.
“However, we would want representatives who are conversant with the Constitution and their roles in Parliament. We want people who would make meaningful contribution in Parliament and also towards the development of the country.”
Lt-Gen Rugeje said ZANU-PF had started issuing electronic cards to its members that would serve as debit cards.