President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged his Zanu PF party to wrest local authority and parliamentary seats from the opposition as he welcomed the late Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s brother, Collins, to the party in Harare.
The event was themed Huyai Kumusha, Come Home, Buyani Ekhaya, Muze Kumuzi: We heard the call. We voluntarily came, Adding Value to Nation Building.
The ruling party and the opposition often trade blame for the collapse and poor service delivery in urban councils.
Zanu PF often says the opposition has no clue how to develop councils, while opposition councillors cite lack of funding from government, sabotage and central government’s interference in council affairs.
Speaking with the new party members at the Harare International Conference Centre on Saturday, Mnangagwa said general elections in July would be an opportunity to vote for “competent’ Zanu PF cadres.
“It’s through our revolutionary mass party that the concerns of our people can be addressed. We must take back the local authority and parliamentary seats which are in the hands of the opposition,” he said.
“We remain a national political party, a people’s party deeply rooted in advancing the will and aspirations of the people. The party remains a dominant and popular force, which is forever committed to wholeheartedly serve.”
Political analyst Effie Ncube told NewsDay that Tsvangirai’s gesture was insignificant.
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“This doesn’t mean much and it’s unlikely that any of them has a significant following to tilt the wider electoral scales across the country. However, it is not good optics for the opposition,” he said.
“They should address what is causing some people to lose faith in the change agenda. Every person matters. For the ruling party, this is a propaganda bonus that it will use to the fullest extent. So is politics. You take advantage of small setbacks on your opponent and sound the horn.”
