Mnangagwa's Zanu-PF goes for broke

Zanu-PF appears to be going for broke ahead of the 2023 general elections by engaging illegal gold miners in a move many have described as crude electioneering.

Zanu-PF national political commissar Mike Bimha told NewsDay that the ruling party was currently on a whirlwind tour of the country, meeting the business community and illegal miners.

This followed the introduction of a platform dubbed Listening Tuesdays at which the ruling party will be meeting the business community and various other stakeholders to discuss bread and butter issues to try and solve the country's economic challenges.

"This week, we have cancelled our meeting with the business community because of other pressing issues, but next week on Thursday we are going to Mutare to meet gold miners in Odzi, Manicaland province. On Friday, we will meet the business community in Mutare," Bimha said.

"We are going around the country, meeting various stakeholders because as Zanu-PF we are a listening party and President Emmerson Mnangagwa is a listening President."

The economy is giving the ruling party sleepless nights as pressure mounts on Mnangagwa to resuscitate it ahead of the crucial 2023 polls.

Illegal gold mining is rampant in Odzi district, Mutare North constituency and other areas across the country with school dropouts now engaging in illegal gold mining activities.