Paidamoyo Mutsvairo
No one can deny that the distinguishing characteristics in the mould of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa continue to inspire the electorate to put their trust in him and the revolutionary party.
The Presidential Star Rallies which are being held across the country's ten provinces, as a way of campaigning for ZANU-PF candidates ahead of the by-elections scheduled for 26 March 2022, reflect the trust and support that the electorate has in President Mnangagwa and the ruling party. Already ardent supporters have already ran away with the moniker, EDFiveMoreYears.
While most opposition parties, especially Citizens Coalition of Change (CCC), boast of huge number of supporters on social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, it is pleasing that President Mnangagwa's support is rightly noticed on the ground. Honestly, the numbers of people who are attending Presidential Star Rallies speak volumes and no one can deny that obvious fact. As the nation prepares for the 2023 Harmonised Elections, the President's strength lies in the masses. As such, the opposition parties should not take these numbers for granted. Such huge numbers depict not only unity among ZANU-PF party members, but it also demonstrates that President Mnangagwa is a man of the people. To be very frank, no one would attend a rally of a leader that he/she has no interest or confidence in.
The opposition parties through the private media are trying hard to de-campaign President Mnangagwa ahead of the elections. A number of nonsensical articles have been imprudently written to discredit the President’s leadership, of course as a campaign gimmick for opposition parties. For instance, some reports claimed that ZANU PF leadership was responsible for the political violence that erupted in Kwekwe, during a CCC rally. These people conveniently ignore that whilst addressing party supporters at Zimbabwe grounds in Highfields, Harare, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa threatened that his newly-formed political party will take to the streets and protest against the ZEC if the election body fails to produce a proper voters’ roll. Also, in 2018, Chamisa called for demonstrations against ZEC, where he was demanding early release of election results. The violent demonstration of 01 August 2018, saw the business community losing goods worth thousands of United States dollars. Moreover, vehicles were burnt, buildings destroyed and some people lost their lives.
On the other hand, President Mnangagwa has never called for violence or implied it. He is on record denouncing political violence. In fact, the arrest of about 16 people in connection with the Kwekwe violence depicts how the President is against such acts.
As the First Secretary of ZANU-PF, President Mnangagwa has ensured that the Party policies and ideologies are pro-people and accommodates the needs and wants of every citizen. This has made ZANU PF, the most liked and favoured political party. President Mnangagwa's popularity in terms of acceptability, appeal and good leadership qualities cannot be compared to any of the political leaders in the country.
Surely, the opposition are deluding themselves postulating that they will grab any vote in ZANU-PF stronghold areas. Actually, they should draw lessons from the ruling Party on how it does its party activities and other programmes that entice the electorate.
While ZANU-PF continues demonstrating to the electorate of its developmental agenda, the opposition parties as usual, are focusing on trivialities in their campaign trail, hence no-one should cry foul to the obvious electoral outcome.
It is imperative for the Revolutionary party leadership to continue mobilising supporters to register to vote so that when 2023 election approaches, all the people will be able to cast their votes in support of the party and its leadership. People will continue voting for a party that is people-centred and ZANU PF has proven itself over the years.
