Moses Matenga
President Emerson Mnangagwa has stepped in to douse the flames caused by a chaotic primary election process that has threatened to tear the party apart ahead of the harmonised elections.
So chaotic were the primary elections that those who fell by the wayside have been trying viciously to force reruns or else they will vote against the party by engaging in the “bhora musango” act.
The last time a Zanu PF faction instituted a “bhora musango” campaign, the party President, then Robert Mugabe, narrowly lost to the late MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe was forced into a rerun where he won after Tsvangirai withdrew citing a violent campaign.
However, Mnangagwa has summoned all candidates who participated in the primary elections to call for unity and whip those who have failed to stomach defeat in line.
In a circular to all provincial chairpersons, the commissariat department said the party was holding a healing workshop where the President will seek to unite his party in fear of “bhora musango.”
“The commissariat department through the Chitepo Ideological college has organised a healing and reconciliation workshop to unite all candidates who participated in the party’s primary elections for Senate and National Assembly,” the circular read in part.
Mnangagwa is expected to address the delegates.
The workshop comes as tampers were flaring in different constituencies, a development that was potentially explosive for the party.
Elections were marred with violence, fears of rigging among other irregularities.
Demonstrations by those who lost had become an order of the day in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Manicaland and other parts of the country, something the party insiders said was not sustainable hence the need for a healing process.
Mnangagwa is clearing the way for elections and is expected to announce the poll dates by May end.