The Sunday News
NOW that primary elections have come and gone, the ruling Zanu-PF must now forge ahead and prepare for the harmonised elections as a united front.
The launch of the party’s manifesto last week also served to galvanise the party around key messages, as the revolutionary party seeks to continue to serve the country and better the lives of everyone.
From the onset, the idea of primary elections is not meant to divide the party, but to give party members a chance to choose their leadership, as opposed to imposing candidates as was the case in some areas in the previous administration. In every election there are some people who might feel aggrieved, we appreciate that, but urge them to follow laid down procedures as per the party’s rules and regulations. Moreover, positives from the primary elections should be noted, so that the process is made better and much stronger going forward.
As long as the party approaches the general elections as a united force, reinforced by President Mnangagwa’s appealing economic policies and international re-engagement drive, nothing will stop the party from scoring massive victory.
As the President put it recently, the party planted a seed of internal party democracy by holding primary elections in a different manner, and whatever challenges faced are part of efforts at firmly rooting democratic ethos in the revolutionary party.
“As we inch nearer and nearer the Harmonised National Elections which will fall due in a few months’ time, our national people’s party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, Zanu-PF, is gradually, but inexorably putting its ducks in a row for this plebiscite which it is set to win resoundingly,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said the programme of preparing Zanu-PF for the elections started with meetings and many internal processes across the country, which culminated in the primary elections.
“What set these party primary elections apart from those we have had in the past is the fact that these have been conducted under the auspices of a newly created arm of our party, the Party Elections Commission, which we commissioned recently in order to professionalise our candidate selection process, so we deepen our party’s internal democratic traditions.
“Whatever teething problems we have experienced so far and we have noted them closely — we remain convinced that the democratic course we have started in the management of our party affairs is the correct one, indeed one befitting a party of our history, our strength, and our stature.”
Of note was also the massive turnout in the primary elections which proves that Zanu-PF is indeed a people’s party.
“Far more poignant than the teething problems we have encountered in this internal selection project is the overwhelming turnout of our people who have registered their enthusiasm and keenness to participate in this process, which after all, they see as guaranteeing their successful election in the forthcoming plebiscite,” added the President.
At the launch of the party’s manifesto on Friday, the President highlighted that Government was working round the clock to improve the welfare and lives of its workers.
“The labour force is pivotal in shaping our destiny. The service of teachers, nurses and doctors will be reviewed for the betterment of their service. Right now Government is working on addressing cash shortages. We are here to prepare for elections in fulfilment of the provisions we are mandated to carry out in our constitution. Let us thrive to go out there and win the hearts of the people.”
