Midlands must recover lost seats: ED

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has urged Zanu-PF Midlands Province to oil its election machinery for the party to reclaim the two seats it lost to the opposition.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Mvuma Stadium on Saturday, the President said Zanu-PF had 26 out of 28 Parliamentary seats in Midlands Province.

“There are 28 seats in Midlands Province and 26 belong to Zanu-PF and the rest to MDC-T. This time we want all the seats. We want the seats in Gweru which are under the opposition to come back to Zanu-PF,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said he had been told that over 700 000 people had registered to vote in the province during the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise and challenged those who had not registered to do so.

He said the party should mobilise all its members to vote for Zanu-PF to win resoundingly.

“During the elections, you will be voting for your councillor, Member of Parliament, Senator and President. Midlands Province in 2013 harmonised elections had the highest Presidential vote and should again lead this coming election,” said the President.

President Mnangagwa said party primary elections should be held in peace.

He said branch and district elections will be held after the harmonised elections.

“We do need to restructure the party, but we will do it after the harmonised elections. As we restructure the party we say let bygones be bygones. But if you fail to reform and continue going against the party, Zanu-PF will discipline you,” he said.

Zanu-PF Midlands provincial chairperson Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube said the party was targeting 800 000 people to be registered before elections.

He said over 600 000 of the registered voters will vote for the ruling party.