Zanu-PF targets 2023 urban vote

Zanu-PF says it has its focus firmly set on wrestling the urban vote from the opposition after claiming the Epworth National Assembly seat in the Saturday by-elections and a decent vote in other urban constituencies.

Zanu-PF has struggled to win un urban areas since the turn of the millennium, with the MDC sweeping to victory in most of them.

On Saturday, Nelson Chamisa and his new political outfit code-named Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) won all but one urban seats.

But, addressing journalists at the Zanu-PF national headquarters in Harare on Monday, party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said the opposition's dominance in urban areas is coming to an end.

"Their days of urban supremacy are challenged and over. We shall be pinpointing every corruption that they have been doing, we shall make sure every person who won in the parliamentary and council seats on Saturday is held accountable," Mutsvangwa said.

"That is going to be the decider of the urban vote 2023. We will be toe to toe, foot to foot with the opposition for their misdeeds and corruption. We will expose them to make sure we win the urban vote," Mutsvangwa said.

He added: "We are also warning the CCC that their days of supremacy in Binga and Matebeleland North are over."

CCC won the rural Binga North constituency where police banned the party to campaign.

Mutsvangwa also said chances of winning 2023 elections for the CCC are very bleak.

"In rural areas the margin between the opposition and Zanu-PF reflects a complete washout. Signs are very bleak for Chamisa ever aspiring for state house. I heard someone on social media  saying Chamisa is the master of Harare and I think  that is what he should aspire for," Mutsvangwa said.