'Zanu PF to use Tsvangirai's funeral to lure voters'

ZANU PF Manicaland chairman Mike Madiro has urged party members to take advantage of MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai's death to woo supporters ahead of the upcoming elections.

Madiro made the remarks yesterday at an extraordinary provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) meeting in Mutare to welcome Oppah Muchinguri, following her appointment as Zanu PF national chairperson last year.

Madiro told the meeting that Zanu PF supporters should attend Tsvangirai's burial, which is set for tomorrow.

He urged Zanu PF party supporters to be vigilant claiming that he fears violence against MDC-T supporters at the burial claiming that when they attended the late Tsvangirai's wife Susan burial some Zanu PF supporters were assaulted.

"Let's attend the funeral of Morgan Tsvangirai… I am urging you to be vigilant when we attend the funeral and we should not wear our regalia, at the burial of Tsvangirai's wife, Susan some Zanu PF supporters were beaten up," he said

"Our President Emmerson Mnangagwa will attend Tsvangirai's burial. Let's use the bereavement to add value to our party," he said.

Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer last week in South Africa, where he was receiving treatment.

Madiro, however, said the province was celebrating Muchinguri's appointment as Zanu PF national chairperson.

"The position of our national chairman Oppah Muchinguri is very important. We sat as the provincial executive council and we decided to host our chairman during this PCC and give our national chairman the platform to meet local people as she comes from this province," he said.

Muchinguri weighed in saying the MDC-T was a force to be reckoned with.

"Don't take the issue of opposition party lightly, yes, there are divisions, but it's good to be prepared and it's critical to be prepared every time," she said.