Zanu-PF beefs up 2018 election campaign fleet

ZANU-PF has beefed up its 2018 election campaign fleet, with 60 all-terrain vehicles despatched to the party's 10 provinces to help mobilise members to register for the crunch polls.

Ruling party political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, confirmed the development yesterday, saying they were targeting all potential voters, "young and old", to be on the voters' roll in time for the elections, where President Robert Mugabe could face a fierce challenge from a possible coalesced opposition.

"Let us ensure that our voter registration exercise is energised," Kasukuwere said in a message to the party's various provincial structures.

"Congratulations to all provinces on the vehicles availed by the party. 2018, here we come, we win resoundingly."

The vehicles are part of the $60 million fleet – comprising of small cars, trucks and buses recently acquired by the ruling party, specifically for the 2018 elections.

The party has declined to disclose its source of funding for the vehicles.

Other than buying top-of-the range vehicles for party structures, Zanu-PF has also placed an order for similar cars for traditional leaders – often accused of being ruling party campaign agents in rural areas.

Kasukuwere also ordered all party provinces to hold mid-year provincial inter-district conferences and complete the restructuring exercises, to ensure that structures would be well-oiled for the 2018 polls.

"We expect all the provinces by now to have completed the cell and branch restructuring programmes. Soon, my office will be communicating with the leaders, we will be despatching to the provinces on the dates that are going to be agreed and issues that are expected to be addressed," he said.

Zanu-PF has been entangled in a vicious factional fight over who should take over from 93-year-old Mugabe.

The battle for Mugabe's succession has left Kasukuwere's political career hanging precariously after being accused of harbouring ambitions to topple the Zanu-PF leader.