Zanu-PF oiling its machinery

Zanu-PF has said it is oiling its machinery for the 2018 general elections, which it hopes to win resoundingly.

Addressing journalists before the end of the politburo meeting last night, party spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF's focus was on next year's elections.

"The party's secretary for administration (Ignatius Chombo) reported that preparations for the party's December conference were underway and in view of the harmonised elections, consultations with provinces were going on to oil the party's machinery to win the elections thunderously," he said.

Moyo said the party's national commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere also told the politburo that Chombo led a team of senior party members to teach provincial structures to teach them on biometric voter registration (BVR) and the programme is now being cascaded down to the cells.

Moyo was evasive on Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's presentations in the politburo meeting, where he was expected to defend himself following a slew of allegations levelled against him by Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo.

In the afternoon, three smart boards were mounted, ostensibly part of the props for Mnangagwa's presentations.

However, by 5pm, Mnangagwa had not yet presented his defence, with his aides said to be still outside the meeting room with the material he was supposed to present.

In July, Moyo accused Mnangagwa of capturing State institutions, corruption and several other vices in a bid to topple President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe, at last Saturday's briefing with Zanu-PF youth, reportedly pledged to solve the Mnangagwa- Moyo issue in yesterday's politburo meeting, saying the party could not go for elections fractured.