Zanu-PF needs key changes in order to campaign effectively

CDE Mugabe has confounded his critics and increased ZANU's lion's share of the vote in the General Election in 2018. It is not a secret that MUGABE still commands great support both in the country and outside the office. He is single handedly uniting the party.  But the party is some way from being able to command a unity of purpose. Party bigwigs are now plotting economic sabotages in order to sway the vote against the party. The irony of this witchcraft practiced by this bigwigs is that they claim to be doing it in the name of the President.   ZANU PF  has articulated a vision of society which appeals to many young TURKS and 'left behind' voters. Now the party needs to get over the intellectual defensiveness which has afflicted it for decades - and reach out to people in constituencies who are now confused by the self destructive factionalism in the party.

Politics in ZANU PF party will never be the same again the party is being shaken by individual bitterness and factionalism.  

Political leaders in the party have resorted to village politics where a rally only embarrasses each other.
Even the opposition has taken a great interest in the embarrassing behaviour within the party.
'Politics in the party will never be the same again the new party of gossip and fear yhe party of disrespect and partisan politics a great departure from the ZANU PF of the past.

ZANU PF has to fight an insurgent campaign in which the vultures deftly exploit their status as the underdogs yet they are killers within the party appears to have excited young people as well as so-called 'left behind' voters in ways not seen for decades. Criticisms of ZANU PF focused on its inept approach to internal party fights and estrangement from its own party organs. where ZANU PF exceeded expectations was its ability to fashion a distinctive, eye-catching interface that captured the imagination of the electorate, and distanced the party from its potentially 'toxic' legacy of frog marching people to the rally.  Commandeered crowds do not vote. The topic of forcing people to come to the rally is never discussed. In most cases whoever brings it up is marginalised. We are lying to ourselves and that is dangerous.
His excellency is not told that people are forced to attend.

The greatest mistake being done is where only one person is credited for making the rallies successful. This alienates those who have gone an extra mile to mobilise.  In some areas companies are forced to pay towards the rallies yet they are not mentioned. This gives the leaders false sense of support.  

The ZANU PF culture has always been you and me we have a job to do.  

The individual paraise machine has destroyed the team work. It has created giants and indeed selfishness has kicked in.

The reality on the ground is that the centre is being lied to.
People are still subjected to force and extortion.  Some individuals are getting rich while others are getting poor. Such is life but not in ZANU PF.

Of course, it has not been plain sailing for ZANU PF Arguably, the party's greatest vulnerability has been his reluctance to acknowledge the place of other traditions in the party beyond the individual effort.   Our weakest moments  as a party are factionalism and viewing any programme as a faction based. as well as controversy over our reluctance to condemn Intra party terrorism. There are still major questions about the viability of Our manifesto, for all that its ideological clarity inspired the faithful. Still, there can be little doubt that party unity marks a decisive shift in the politics of the ZANU PF party to which all sections of the party will now be obliged to respond.  
Events must not be personalised.

So what strategic lessons can, and should, we learn from the Party as we march towards the general election?

The first lesson is that ZANU PF politics evidently must appeal to many younger voters, as well as the social groups that have increasingly abstained from voting. The dynamic here is that ZANU PF must project hope and togetherness because our programmes are not constrained by conventional electoral calculation; ZANU PF must offer a different vision of society after decades of spending tax rises, and missed deficit reduction targets. The party must have a view on policy which articulates a rare combination of clarity and conviction. The leadership must offer an innovative politics of participation which is about doing things 'with' people rather than 'to' them, sweeping away anachronistic institutions and inherited privilege; if carried forward this might be the platform for a resurgence of the national party.

The challenge ahead for ZANU PF  project will be to construct the electoral alliance between the 'haves' and 'have nots' that is required to win greater numbers of marginal seats, enter government, and deliver policies like progressive land redistribution and public investment. As the general election approaches ZANU PF victory will mean winning in Towns and in Rural areas.

'There are still major questions about the viability of our manifesto during the rallies and the meeting the people. We still meet to exhibit our bitterness towards one another. There is a strong uneasiness in our public meetings and the public is being entertained to a fears public spat.

We must get over the intellectual defensiveness that has plagued the party since 2000 we need an open debate about policy and about the party. Recently some modernisers behaved as if the best approach to making a party of government was to give the entire old guards a boot. This risked denuding the party of the capacity to think and revitalise itself. The ascendency of individualism has created party untouchables. We must make the most audacious shift the centre ground of politics towards the people. No sacred cows. We must know that when effectively presented, measures that are widely perceived to be traditionally ZANU PF are still popular with mainstream voters. Among the most important issues raised in the party is the question of public ownership of land and fair distribution of such.
Using land as an election tool  is no longer viable.

The party needs fresh mind fresh innovations. There must be drastic changes in our style of doing things.
Those who are bitter with each other must dismount from their high horses and pull for the party.
We sit and see the party  being torn apart by ego.  We are watering our ego with the waters of destruction. We are destroying the very party we call ours.

Elections are not won by individuals but by all of us. Praise singing must stop and will never improve us. The party is people and people are the party.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk