Strife-Torn Zanu PF Suspends Highly Divisive Polls
THE Zanu PF Politburo suspended provincial elections midway Monday amid raging firestorms across the country which threatened to rip the faction riddled ruling party apart.
Zanu PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha told journalists after an extraordinary politburo meeting late Monday night the decision to suspend the provincial elections was arrived at to allow the smooth running of the national people’s conference set for October 25 in Mashonaland Central province.
“The politburo resolved to suspend provincial elections until further notice so as to allow the structures to concentrate on the conference preparations,” he said.
The provincial election campaigns have been marred by factionalism, smear campaigns and were threatening to turn bloody while also exposing deep-rooted factionalism in the party.
There were reports of chaos in almost all the provinces, mainly the Midlands, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Manicaland and Mashonaland East, where party bigwigs are facing off in a fight to control the provinces.
The chaos that has affected the holding of the provincial elections came on the background of similar challenges the party faced when it held district coordinating committee elections, which remain disputed.
Bimha said the extraordinary politburo meeting received reports on preparations for the national people’s conference from the party national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and resolved to hold the indaba in observance of COVID-19 regulations.
Only a few party members will attend physically while others will follow the proceedings virtually from provincial centres.
–New Zimbabwe.com
About Post Author
