via Rattled Mugabe’s Zanu PF goes for broke – DailyNews Live 9 June 2015 by Fungi Kwaramba
HARARE – Notwithstanding the fact that the main opposition MDC is boycotting tomorrow’s by-elections around the country, a rattled Zanu PF — severely weakened by debilitating and seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars — is throwing everything at the electorate in its desperation not to lose some of the seats.
This has seen President Robert Mugabe’s party tasking his deputies, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, to lead its massive and expensive campaigns almost on a full-time basis over the past few weeks — as it fears that any losses that it could suffer to candidates from fringe opposition parties could prove fatal ahead of the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC has cited the country’s uneven electoral playing field as the reason why it is not taking part in the by-elections, amid ominous threats that it could also boycott the 2018 national elections if the situation is not rectified — a move that would discredit those polls before they even take off.
But despite the boycott by the main MDC, the warring post-congress Zanu PF is not taking any chances and stands accused of incorporating many of its “tried and tested tactics” of old in some constituencies such as Hurungwe West, including the use of violence and intimidation to scare its opponents and voters.
Just last week, many frustrated independent candidates besieged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s Harare offices demanding an end to the violence and harassment that has included the tearing of their posters and other campaign materials.
Analysts who spoke to the Daily News yesterday described tomorrow’s by-elections as “a contestation within Zanu PF” as many of its purged officials are sympathetic to participating independent candidates and are hoping to use the mini-polls as a barometer for 2018 when their “original” Zanu PF, which uses the slogan People First, is expected to take on Mugabe’s formation head-on.
Spokesperson of the “original” Zanu PF, Rugare Gumbo, said yesterday that it was clear that his erstwhile comrades in the ruling party were in “panic mode” because of their irrational fear of losing to anyone remotely associated with former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
“They are in panic mode. We have our values and we want democracy in these by-elections. We will stand with the independent candidates. We want to create democratic space and thus we don’t have problems working with people who are democratic at heart,” he said.
Asked about the chances of the mostly unknown independent candidates in the by-elections, Gumbo said while it was true that some of the candidates were not well known, they could spring some “surprises”.
“There is an obsession with the power of Mujuru (within the post-congress Zanu PF). Saviour Kasukuwere (post-congress Zanu PF political commissar) and Jonathan Moyo (Information minister) promised President Mugabe that they would destroy her but they have failed. That is why they are now scared and are threatening voters,” Gumbo said.
Last week Mujuru took most of her erstwhile Zanu PF colleagues by surprise when she publicly apologised for having been part of the rot that has brought Zimbabwe to its knees — a move that triggered both anger and fear among Mugabe’s acolytes.
Gumbo said it was “completely understandable” that Mujuru’s statement had rattled the ruling party as the “mere mention of her name” in the party invoked irrational fear among most of its senior officials.
“People understand her. She is a sober leader, is very humble and has galvanised the people of Zimbabwe. Moyo was raving and raging about her but all that is nonsense. We will support independent candidates because we are of the same views. Amai Mujuru represents the future and that is what people aspire for,” Gumbo said.
Former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa told the Daily News yesterday that while he was also supporting independent candidates, he was saddened by the scale of violence that innocent villagers were being subjected to.
“Why does Zec tolerate what is happening? Soldiers are beating up people in constituencies where elections will be held and yet Zec is not doing anything. Do they have any function on a positive role or are they just a window dressing shop?
“Why should we have elections when the outcome is predictable? Why go into elections when Zec is playing such a benign role?” he complained.
A total of 102 candidates will lock horns in 14 constituencies tomorrow, with Zapu led by former Cabinet minister Dumiso Dabengwa also in the mix and eyeing the Bulawayo seats.
Analysts have since described tomorrow’s elections as a contestation between Zanu PF and its purged former officials who have already indicated a willingness to take on the ruling party come the 2018 general elections.
Alex Magaisa, a Kent University law professor said Zanu PF has rolled out a massive campaign because of the desire to maintain a winning mentality.
“The first strategic reason is that a team needs a winning mentality,” Magaisa said. “Zanu PF only cares about winning — whether means fair or foul, with or without competition. For them winning means everything. It gives them a good feeling, more confidence and helps cement the winning mentality.
“Zanu PF are like the football manager who fields his strongest team in all competitions — big or small — because they know the importance of a winning mentality in their team.”
The former advisor to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai added that with Zanu PF engaged in brutal factional fights, the party is keen on maintaining a sense of “unity and togetherness.”
“When a team is doing well, there is less friction between its members. Zanu PF knows victory in these by-elections will boost the team spirit at a time when it is facing serious internal challenges.
“The third reason is that by-elections are a welcome distraction from the deteriorating economic conditions. A victory will give a sense of achievement, something to celebrate and forget temporarily the problems. You can bet that after these by-elections, more will follow. The staggered approach means that the country will forever be in election mode until 2018,” said Magaisa.
Maxwell Saungwema, another political commentator weighed in saying the ruling party wants to solidify its power base after the brutal purges.
“This is an endeavour to demonstrate that there is still one party called Zanu PF yet the reality is that the party exists on paper but only various factions and multiple antagonistic centres are what is left of the party on the ground.
“At the same time, the by-elections gives them the intelligence they want to see how strong the Mujuru faction is. The by-elections are a precursor for 2018,” Saungweme said.
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