First is the capture of the electoral system by the ruling elite to influence the electoral outcome through gerrymandering, calculated to disorient the main opposition and benefit the ruling party.

There is no justifiable reason for adopting this framework other than the desire to avoid loss of constituencies from Zanu PF stronghold provinces needed to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

It has also shaken the key African values of hunhu/ubuntu — the very foundations upon which the republic is glued together.

The utterances expose the mindset, interests, and political agenda-setting of the military elite in the country’s political transitions.

It identifies the will to power as the major challenge of the day.

The opposition’s effectiveness will be determined by how it is organised and informed by evidence from these polls

As Zanu PF approaches its 21st national people’s conference, scheduled for October 22 to 27 in Bulawayo, it is crucial to analyse its succession politics and implications.