'Zimbabwe opposition parties diverting issues'

Zanu-PF national spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa has expressed disapproval of the opposition parties' connivance with anti-government civic organisations, raising unsubstantiated claims that the revolutionary party is rigging upcoming by-elections scheduled for March 26.

Mutsvangwa said the opposition is doing so because it has lost the local audience and is now trying to appeal to their pro-sanctions lobby groups in Europe.

He said the mandate to administer elections falls within the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), a constitutional body distinct from Zanu-PF the political party.

"ZEC and Zanu-PF are different and the opposition is trying to divert issues ahead of the upcoming by-elections. This by-election is about voters and here they are raising nebulous issues.

"They no longer have an audience here so they want to impress their pro-sanctions lobby groups.

"These complaints are a cry baby ruse to appeal to the pro-sanctions pundits in Brussels, London and Washington. Their complaints should appropriately be directed to ZEC," Mutsvangwa said.

A Western-sponsored regime change group linked to the CCC party, Pachedu, has been mobilising anti-Zimbabwe propaganda and making unsubstantiated claims on social media that ZEC is rigging the elections.

The group, backed by its Western and European funders, has raised the allegations after failing to mobilise opposition supporters to register to vote.

Mutsvangwa said the urban voters have "homely pressing issues" which opposition led councils have failed to address and which the ruling party is going to address when voted into power on March 26.

"Flowing sewer, uncollected garbage, dirty water, poor road networks and service delivery are homely pressing issues for the urban voter.

"The hollow complaints of sulking and failed NGOs of regime change for a long time have lost an audience of movers and shakers in Europe," he added.

The party spokesperson said the opposition is now an incompetent congregation that cannot be compared with what President Emmerson Mnangagwa has managed to do for the nation.

"President Mnangagwa is whetting the appetites of European entrepreneurs who see Chinese and other Asian competitors eating their lunch.

"His pro-business charm is just beguiling. The accusations by the opposition are now whistles in the dark. That faraway audience has melted away like Alpine snow in spring," he added.