By The Editor
A recent claim by the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) that more than three million people participated in their primary elections has raised suspicions and skepticism about the party’s claims. This announcement comes as the party seeks to win up to five million votes in the upcoming general elections, set to be held later this year.
Despite the party’s director of information and publicity, Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi, stating that “preliminary observations show that the number of voters who participated was above three million,” there is little evidence to support these claims. It’s unclear how the party arrived at this figure, and the final figures have yet to be released.
Furthermore, reports suggest that violence marred the primaries in several constituencies, leading to re-runs in Zvimba West, Gokwe-Nembudziya, Mbare, Insiza South, and Churu. This raises concerns about the integrity of the primary elections and the accuracy of the party’s claims.
The claim that three million people voted in the ZANU PF primary elections is a cause for concern given the party’s history of manipulating elections. ZANU PF has been accused of voter suppression, rigging, and intimidation in previous elections, and there is no reason to believe that the party has changed its ways.
Given these concerns, it’s important to take the party’s claims with a grain of salt until more concrete evidence is presented. With the general elections looming, it’s crucial that Zimbabweans can trust the electoral process and that parties act in good faith to ensure a free and fair election.
