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Election fever mounting

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THE overwhelming turnout in last week’s primary elections for council and parliamentary seats by ZANU PF demonstrates the countrywide popularity of the revolutionary Party.
The ruling Party must be given credit for being a well organised mass Party after having organised such a mammoth exercise.
With its proper membership registers, it can be certain of at least getting the same number of votes in the ensuing general elections.
Mind you, a number of members did not vote in constituencies that were not contested.
However, the impressive turnout can be used as a barometer to predict the outcome of the imminent national harmonised general elections.
An interesting observation was apparent as ZANU PF members of different demographics mingled on their way to the polling booths.
This follows a theory being peddled by the Western-sponsored CCC, that ZANU PF is a party of the elderly.
This was conclusively proven false at the primaries.
The number of enthusiastic youths of both sexes who thronged the polling booths countrywide was staggering.
From the preliminary results of the polls, it was apparent that the democratic internal elections gave the Party an opportunity to freshen itself.
Self-renewal is the hallmark of any healthy and vibrant political organisation.
And ZANU PF is not wanting in this respect.
This was very visible in the revolutionary Party’s internal elections with the new faces that were voted in, youths included.
What is gratifying is that this process is effected by the people themselves through democratic internal elections.
Not a single MP or Senator was guaranteed of retaining his/her seat.
This ensures that successful candidates will be duty bound to work hard to be voted back next time.
For the electorate is an unforgiving watchdog.
After the election results have been verified and confirmed by the Party’s Politburo, all contestants are expected to rally behind the winning candidates.
The people’s will has to be respected.
After all, this is the democratic ethos central to the organisation of the revolutionary Party.
With the primaries now complete, the well oiled ZANU PF machinery is now geared for the home stretch.
The ruling Party will be pitting its might against opposition parties like the Western surrogate christened CCC.
This is a party without structures, membership registers or defined leadership, among other glaring absurdities.
Moreover, its comical method of selecting its candidates is anything but democratic, in a polity that yearns for democracy.
All this points to a sound whipping of a party that is a darling of Western NGOs.
And yet this is a formation that will be very quick to claim rigging of elections.
Let’s go back to the queues at last week’s ZANU PF primary elections.
Enthusiasm was in the air as thousands took their turns to cast their vote. These are the same thousands expected at the national harmonised general elections later this year.
This dress rehearsal to the the real deal should have been enough to send a cold chill down the spines of CCC and its Western allies.
They are clearly no match for the ZANU PF juggernaut.
But of course, their expected claim of rigging is going to be supported by their Western backers, some of whom would have masqueraded as ’neutral’ observers.
As if that is not enough, another predicted explanation for the thorough beating of triple C will be that the playing field was uneven.
Indeed the playing field would have been uneven to the disadvantage of ZANU PF instead.
Imagine a Party that would be forced to campaign with its Government under illegal economic sanctions.
This is a Government whose lines of credit have since been cut by the US.
And the economic sanctions were imposed strictly to make the Zimbabwean economy ’scream’.
This was in turn expected to to see Zimbabweans revolt against the revolutionary Party in Government, an objective that has turned into a pipe dream.
Another weapon used to tilt the scales in favour of triple C is through clandestinely funding it both directly and indirectly through NGOs.
Despite all this, the contesting parties still have to campaign for the people’s vote at the national harmonised elections which are very close.
ZaNU PF has already identified its candidates with the democratic primary elections.
Chamisa is yet to use his right as a self-styled dictator to pick candidates of his choice.
Parties will soon present their manifestos to the electorate, as campaigning moves into full swing.
Campaigning will be allowed through rallies and other means within the confines of the law.
To ensure law and order , if a rally needs police clearance this has to be adhered to without fear or favour.
Attendance at rallies is usually based on popularity of the party or key speaker.
Poor attendance does not necessarily mean people have been intimidated, as triple C is so often inclined to claim.
Meanwhile, election fever is mounting and the dye is cast.

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