Political Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned ZANU PF bigwigs against imposing themselves
on the electorate and added that party members should freely choose their preferred leaders without intimidation.
Addressing thousands of ZANU PF supporters at Mukwasi Primary School in Buhera yesterday, President Mnangagwa said that the Party would not tolerate the imposition of candidates in the forthcoming 2023 plebiscite.
“Candidates for ZANU PF should come from the people. The people are saying they no longer want imposition of candidates. No chefs should impose their preferred candidates on the people. Chefs have one vote, not two and they are where they are because you voted for them to be there and as such, should respect the will of the grassroots.
“Power comes from the people, and the people must be given the opportunity to elevate those people they believe are the most hard-working and will represent them well, those capable of providing good leadership,” said the President.
The President added that the imposition of candidates stifles the morale of Party members and was a direct insult to democracy which reduces elections to a process of sheer favouritism. He further implored ZANU PF members to campaign peacefully and emphasised the need for political tolerance.
President Mnangagwa urged the Party leaders to be agents of peace and implored them to be unifiers as the 2023 elections draw closer.
“Leaders should be unifying and, as we move towards elections, we believe we will win these elections in peace. We want peace, harmony and tranquillity. We should preach, peace, peace, peace. We preached peace in the past, we preach peace now and we shall preach peace in the future.
“ZANU PF members should remain vigilant because you will be provoked by the opposition. They will employ all tricks to provoke you, but you must remain calm. If they stormed your homestead, just give them a cup of water to drink and they will leave. We do not want violence,” said President Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa yesterday officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony for a new lithium mine in Buhera District. The mine is expected to produce nearly 300 000 tonnes of lithium a year and employ over a thousand people.
