Mujuru dumps mass rallies, goes low key

OPPOSITION National People's Party leader Joice Mujuru has resolved to forego mass campaign rallies, saying she preferred door-to-door and ward-based meetings ahead of this year's general elections.

Party spokesperson Jeffreyson Chitando told NewsDay yesterday that the move was meant to drum up support at grassroots level, describing open campaign rallies as financially draining and ineffective.

"We have agreed that elections are not won at national level, but at the ward. We are, therefore, looking at ensuring that we hold meetings at that level and ascertain the number of voters we have instead of holding huge meaningless rallies," he said.

Chitando said NPP would only hold star rallies after electoral victory.

"Big rallies for us can only be used for victory celebrations, you can't address 20 000 people from all provinces and think you have support because when they go back, that's when you realise you have less than two supporters per ward," he said.

Mujuru reportedly resorted to low-key campaign meetings after it emerged that her support base was shrinking, with some of her top executives defecting to other opposition parties, while others rejoined the ruling Zanu-PF party.

The former Vice-President is currently under pressure from her allies to join the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-T Alliance.

Mujuru's spokesperson confirmed the push, but dismissed it as "a cry by a few individuals within the party".

"I am not aware of the said pressure. I hear there are alleged individuals purportedly expressing such sentiments. I am in Sanyati for the past five days campaigning," he said.