The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Zanu PF working on primary elections roadmap

- Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

ZANU is working on a primary election roadmap as the party intensifie­s preparatio­ns for the 2023 harmonised elections.

This comes as the party last week successful­ly held its 7th National People’s Congress that re- energised the base, and where President Mnangagwa was endorsed as the ruling party’s sole presidenti­al candidate.

Speaking at a press conference in Harare yesterday, ZANU PF Secretary for the Commissari­at Cde Mike Bimha said primary elections would ensure elected candidates have the grit to win it for the revolution­ary party.

“We would want to make sure that the party has a bigger say in terms of the calibre of aspiring candidates who come forward to stand for elections.

“What sort of attributes are we looking at from a candidate who comes forward to be an MP or councillor?

“We have a lot that we have learnt over the past, we have a lot of experience, we have a lot we have also identified, so we want to improve as we go forward.

“I don’t have the dates for primary elections as of now, but I would like to assure the nation that we have already started working on the roadmap,” said Cde Bimha.

Turning to the 7th ZANU PF National People’s Congress, Cde Bimha said it was a success in terms of the participat­ion and also in terms of the quality of deliberati­ons.

“Firstly, it was an important Congress, the major highlight of the Congress was the election of His Excellency President Mnangagwa as the President of the party and more importantl­y as the sole candidate for next year’s harmonised elections.

“We also witnessed the dissolutio­n of the Central Committee and endorsemen­t of the incoming Central Committee as well as the appointmen­t of some of the Politburo members.

“We also witnessed the establishm­ent of the Council of Elders,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cdes Josiah Hungwe, Ambassador Aaron Maboyi Ncube and Angeline Masuku were appointed to be part of the Council of Elders.

President Mnangagwa, Cde Bimha said, will appoint more members to the Council in due course.

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