Zanu-PF deploys by-elections campaign teams

Zanu-PF is prepared for the nine impending by-elections set for December 9 triggered by the first round of CCC recalls, and has already deployed campaign teams to mobilise people to vote for the ruling party.

The by-elections were necessitated by the recalling of nine CCC constituency members of the National Assembly along with five proportional representation members and nine senators by the opposition party's interim secretary-general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu.

Mr Tshabangu said the recalling of 14 CCC members from the National Assembly and nine senators had nothing to do with Zanu-PF, but was an internal move to save the party from the dictatorship of Mr Nelson Chamisa.

By-elections will be held in Cowdray Park, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Bulawayo South, Nketa, Binga North, Mabvuku-Tafara and Beitbridge West with the remaining five seats made vacant by the recalling of proportional representation legislators being filled on CCC nominations, as is the case with the nine Senate seats.

Addressing the media yesterday, Zanu-PF national Political Commissar Mike Bimha said the party was ever ready of any eventuality.

"We have pending elections in early December, we have already conducted primary elections in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo, and there are areas where we didn't have primary elections because there has been consensus on who the party would like to have as a candidate such as Binga North, Bulawayo South and Mabvuku-Tafara.

"We did not have primaries on those constituencies so the members who will be standing there are as a result of consensus by the party,'' said Bimha.

As a party, he said they will leave no stone unturned when it comes to any election with party structures already on the ground in respective constituencies mobilising people to vote for Zanu-PF.

"What we are now doing is to prepare for these elections. We already have in every provinces teams that have been trained in terms of how to campaign, teams that have also going through the relevant ideological training administered by Chitepo School of Ideology.

"We have got champions who will also be accompanied by other members of the party to carry out campaigns in all those constituencies where we are going to have by elections.

"Apart from the provincial teams that we have, we also have campaigning teams coming from our structures, the three wings of the party, the Women's league, War Veterans and the Youth League.

"They also have trained and experienced campaigning teams that will support our provincial teams and campaigning starting from this weekend until the day of elections," he expressed.

The party, he said will also deploy Central Committee members and Politburo members in the constituencies with impending by-elections to reinforce the work of the teams of the ground.

"We also have members of the Central Committee, members of the Politburo also visiting all these constituencies, polling stations, to reinforce the work of the teams of the ground.

"We are in the process of deploying senior party members to accompany these teams that are already on the ground."

Zanu-PF affiliates organisations and retainees will also be part of mobilisation teams during the campaigns

"We also have our affiliates where possible, they come in hand and support the work of our structures. We also have teams representing returnees, former MDC and CCC members who have seen the light and they also have their own teams," emphasised Bimha.

The by-election gives an opportunity for Zanu-PF to keep in touch with the electorate in preparation of the 2028 elections.

"This opportunity of going back to the people is healthy for the party because we want as the commiserate to continue to mobilise our membership. We are already in the mood of preparing ourselves for 2028," he said.

The party, he said is very confident of fishing from the opposition pond.

"We don't sit on our laurels; we believe success brings success, once you succeed it gives you the motivation, that even tomorrow's success is guaranteed. We have won the 2023 harmonised elections and we look forward to do the same in 2028 and that work starts now.

"We are already preparing for that as we prepare for these by-elections, so as a party we are ready at any pointing time. It's a healthy situation for us to keep us on our toes and to keep up mobilising our membership. We are very confident of winning in the by-elections that can come our way," said Bimha.

He also dismissed some allegations from certain quarters that Zanu-PF is involved in the recall of opposition members from Parliament, saying it's not Zanu-PF's business to focus on internal fighting within CCC ranks and file.