ZANU-PF Discusses Poll Guidelines

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announces the results of the March 29, 2008 national poll. Despite repeated false claims of the western-backed opposition MDC and the corporate media, the results are continuing to be announced through official channels., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Zanu-PF discusses poll guidelines

Sunday, 17 February 2013 00:00
Emilia Zindi
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail

The Zanu-PF Politburo is expected to meet in Harare this week to, among other issues, finalise primary election guidelines that will determine the party’s candidates for the forthcoming harmonised elections. The supreme decision-making organ outside congress is also expected to deliberate on the March 16 constitution referendum and the national polls.

In an interview on Friday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo confirmed the Politburo will meet this Wednesday as it prepares for the plebiscite.

“We are meeting this Wednesday and issues likely to be discussed include the referendum, the forthcoming general election as well as our primary election guidelines,” he said.

Cde Gumbo said Zanu-PF was rooting for the draft constitution adopted by Parliament and urged all party supporters to vote “Yes” during the referendum.

He added that the party has already deployed teams to educate members on the importance of giving a “thumbs-up” to the draft. “Our members will be voting ‘Yes’ during the referendum and the teams we have dispatched to districts are there to ensure that everyone appreciates what the draft constitution means,” he said.

Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu reiterated that the party would not allow the imposition of candidates as this promotes factionalism.

“We have learnt from the mistakes that we made as a party in the 2008 elections, especially the imposition of candidates,’’ said Cde Shamu.

He said Zanu-PF, under the visionary leadership of President Mugabe, wanted people to have control over industries, mines, banks and other sectors of the economy.

“We call it beneficiation. Instead of sending our resources in their raw form to other countries we should add value to our diamonds, gold and other resources,’’ he said. Government set March 16 as the date for the referendum on the draft constitution.

The date was published in the Government Gazette last Friday.